Margaret Coats, a California-based poet with a Ph.D. in English and American Literature and Language from Harvard University, weaves intricate tapestries with her words. Her poems, often steeped in rich imagery and historical allusions, invite readers to explore both the tangible and intangible worlds. This exploration focuses on two of Coats’ poems, “Windjam” and “Paisley,” showcasing her unique blend of narrative and descriptive language.
Windjam: A Whispered Narrative
“Windjam” unfolds like a miniature story, capturing a fleeting encounter amidst autumn’s golden hues. The poem opens with a vivid image:
Dry leaves abruptly fell that day—
Whirled weathervane communiqué
Proposing a quick stroll away
Along a narrow inlaid path
The falling leaves become a message, a “weathervane communiqué,” hinting at the change in season and setting the stage for the encounter. The narrow path suggests intimacy and a shared journey, even if brief.
The scene shifts to a “stonecut room” behind a waterfall’s spray, creating a sense of mystery and seclusion. A man, described with gentle humor as having “short shag fair, / Plump, ruddy face,” offers a simple act of courtesy: removing a leaf from the woman’s hair. This seemingly insignificant gesture takes on a symbolic weight as he presents her with the leaf, a “Gold serrate blade orbicular,” as a token of luck. His solitary departure leaves the reader with a lingering sense of curiosity and the unspoken potential for future connection.
Paisley: A Symphony of Color and History
In contrast to the narrative focus of “Windjam,” “Paisley” delves into the rich history and visual intricacies of the paisley pattern. The poem opens with a series of evocative descriptions:
A droplet shape with curling tip
Or Zoroaster’s swirling flame,
Eccentric intricate ellipse adrip,
Liquescent feathers nestled in a frame
Flamboyant.
Coats uses vibrant language—”swirling flame,” “liquescent feathers”—to capture the dynamic and fluid nature of the paisley motif. The term “flamboyant” sets the tone for the poem’s exploration of the pattern’s bold and expressive character.
The poem journeys through the paisley’s history, referencing its Sassanid Persian origins and its later adoption in Western fashion. Coats skillfully interweaves descriptions of color—”Maroon and claret and mahogany”—with historical context, linking the pattern to “eras when pianos wore a shawl / And clothing put on Orient allure.” She contrasts the “gaudy” and “excessive” perceptions of paisley with its inherent elegance and “smooth oblique sophistication.”
The poem concludes with a reflection on the paisley’s enduring appeal:
Though fashion swivels, thrilling thrift
Tips off blue times to intertwine
New hues, and let loops pool and stretch and shift
In oval cobalt damascene design
Endearing.
This passage suggests that the paisley, despite the fleeting nature of fashion trends, possesses a timeless quality that continues to captivate and “endear” across generations.
A Tapestry of Words
Both “Windjam” and “Paisley” showcase Margaret Coats’ skill in using language to create vivid images and evoke a range of emotions. While “Windjam” charms with its narrative simplicity and subtle suggestion, “Paisley” captivates with its rich tapestry of historical allusion and vibrant description. Through her careful crafting of words, Coats invites readers to appreciate the beauty and complexity woven within both the natural world and the artistic creations of humankind.