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The Art of Losing

Elizabeth Bishop, a renowned 20th century poet, writes with words that are well-chosen,

well-placed, and articulate. Though Bishop writes in a collected manner, her work speaks from a

well of strong emotion. Her words spring from a place of deep observation, showing a

profoundly introspective self. And so, one of Bishops most famous works, One Art speaks

boldly on loss, and its unbreakable bond to the human condition. Loss is a theme that resonates

and repeats itself throughout much of Bishop's writing. Having lost her father at only eight

months old, and having her mother institutionalized at five, she knows the heart of loss well

(Levine 54). It is something that was ingrained within Bishop since the start of life. And as

Dylan Thomas might say, she is "well-acquainted" with its nature.

"One Art, while simple, accurately captures the idea and the feeling behind loss. As

stated above, Bishop's life was marked by a pattern of loss. "One Art," having been written after

the suicide of her partner, Lota de Macedo Soares, explores the idea of losing, outside of the

deep pain it may cause. Alongside Soare's death, Bishop never stayed in one place, having

moved to Nova Scotia to Europe to Brazil, she was deeply affected by "geographical

displacement" (Lensing). While she may not have described her poetry as "confessional," this

particular poem is confessional not only for herself, but for humanity at large, as each person

suffers loss in any capacity, at some point.

Structurally, "One Art" is a villanelle, which includes five stanzas with three lines, and

one stanza with four. The structure of the villanelle also builds of off two rhymes, which in

Bishop's case, she bridges off rhyming the words "master" and "intent." This includes true

rhyme, "faster/disaster" as well as slant rhyme, "fluster/master." Likewise, this poem has two

refrains, the idea of loss not being a "disaster," and the line "The art of losing isn't hard to

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master." All of these techniques give "One Art" a rounder, more cyclical feel; the poem keeps

moving. And by nature, this poem builds. Bishop seems to lose one thing to the next, from door

keys to houses, and so thus the roundness of the poem helps in building in new elements with

each stanza (Poets.org). The final stanza allows the reader to slow down, with the use of four

lines rather than three, and the use of a dash in the beginning. Bishop switches up the final

refrain, combing both refrains into one, "It's evident / the art of losing's not too hard to master /

though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster" (lines 17-19). These small details give emphasis

to the final note and feeling of the poem, allowing it to carry more gravity and seriousness.

The title of Bishop's work allows the reader to focus in on one sole theme, loss, and that

this poem will revolve around mastering loss as an "art, or almost as a talent. The use of the

word "art" lends at the idea that loss is something that takes time, skill, and patience to learn.

And in a sense, it is something that can carry immense meaning, as art often does. And because

Bishop's poem builds upon itself, the reader can see how each piece builds into one larger theme,

just as art builds upon different components.

In Bishop's first stanza, she begins with the refrain, "The art of losing isn't hard to

master (1). By starting with the refrain, Bishop sets the tone for the reader, as well as sets the

focus of the poem. This line seems to come from lifelong journey, a lesson that has been taught

over and over many years. The next two lines, "so many things seem filled with the intent / to be

lost that their loss is no disaster" turn from dark to hopeful within just a few words; the flow of

the words aids this transition, as well (2-3). Bishop explains that loss is not a disaster, simply

because almost everything on earth has the potential to be taken, to be lost. Possessions and

people are not filled with "forever," they may not last a lifetime. And yet, there is an underlying

sense of defeat within these lines. By diminishing loss and treating it as "no big deal," Bishop, in

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actuality, sheds light on the deep grief that it can bring. This pattern of loss has taken its toll on

her life.

In the second stanza, Bishop broadens the scope of loss, by starting out small. She tells

her reader, "Lose something every day. Accept the fluster / of lost door keys. The hour badly

spent (4-5). Because loss has been felt by every human being, many may be able to relate to the

frustration of losing something small, something that puts a rut in the day-to-day. Bishop takes a

very universal tone, especially in describing losing as something so integral to being human, to

being flawed, and to being alive. Thus, the pattern begins.

Bishop continues with the line, "Then practice losing farther, losing faster: / places and

names, where it was you meant / to travel (7-9). There is a hurried tone within in these lines,

and their movement is evident. They also maintain their flow, most likely with the help of

alliteration with the words "farther/faster." Now that the reader can relate to the loss of small,

seemingly insignificant items, they can build from that talent. Here, Bishop maintains her

universal tone, while keeping the poem closely related to herself. Loss for the reader may be

different than Bishop's loss, yet it all falls under the same feeling. For the reader, they may be

able to relate to the feel of "drawing a blank," being unable to recall what was just on their mind.

Much of this poem treats loss as an outside force, something that cannot be maintained or

controlled. Thus, Bishop encourages her readers to embrace the loss, treat it as a "universal

truth," rather than dwell unnecessarily on it.

In the fourth stanza, Bishop more clearly uses her own life as an example of loss. She

tells her readers, "I lost my mother's watch. And look! my last, or / next-to-last, of three loved

houses went (10-11). Firstly, her mother's watch can be either a tangible object, or a symbol for

something greater. While Bishop may have very well lost her mother's watch, she likewise lost a

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sense of meaning behind the watch. Objects carry meaning, and can serve as tangible memories.

For Bishop, perhaps this watch was one of the few memories of her mother she could cling to.

And yet, when she lost it, her life did not end; the loss did not bring utter disaster. She moves the

reader on, begging them to see how though she lost but a small memory, she lost something even

greater; homes and places that housed these memories. Bishop helps broaden the realm of loss,

by building from smaller, to larger concepts. Just as loss is ingrained in her own life, it is as well

ingrained into life at large.

Bishop continues to broaden the sphere of loss; "I lost two cities, lovely ones. And vaster,

/ some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent. / I miss them. But it wasn't a disaster (13-15).

From homes, to cities, to continents, Bishop has grown loss into something that encompasses all

things; it is almost routine for her. Much of this poem does not involve Bishop's emotion towards

loss, yet simply alludes to the aftereffects of healing. By leveling loss into one common

occurrence, Bishop is able to show the reader that loss involves all things, and yet, still does not

bring complete disaster. No matter the loss, big or small, nothing has torn Bishop up completely.

And yet, there is a sudden shift in tone within the last stanza. There is something different

about it, something that carries a great weight. As stated in before, the dash before the first line

causes the reader to stop, as they find this stanza is different than the rest. The first stanzas

referred to objects, places, and even memories. The loss of the material and the loss of a person

are two different instances, two different feelings. It is as if all of the losses in Bishop's life built

her up and prepared her for this one, grand loss. She writes, "--Even losing you (the joking voice,

a gesture / I love) I shan't have lied. It's evident / the art of losing's not too hard to master /

though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster (16-19). The "you" in the first line hits the

reader with a different force, separating the material from the personal. Bishop touches on brief

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memories, voices and gestures, acknowledging love and companionship, but not ruminating on

them, as this is not the goal of her piece. She herself admits in a sense, that even losing loved

ones is as easy as losing physical places or objects. It allows the reader to reflect on the different

capacities of loss, and if they really are all one in the same. This seems to be a wound she has yet

to heal from, by the slight rewrite of the refrain; "...the art of losing's not too hard to master."

While there most likely was much emotion involved in the loss of Bishop's loved one, she

realizes this loss is much like the losses she had previously experienced, in that none had broken

her, nor had they brought complete disaster. Though on the outside, this loss may seem utterly

disastrous. Lastly, she places in parenthesis the phrase "Write it!" It is as if Bishop is gritting her

teeth her, forcing herself to believe that this loss, though evidently painful, will not utterly

destroy her. It seems as if she is trying to convince even herself that she will be alright, in the

end, just as she was before.

All in all, Elizabeth Bishops poem One Art is a simple, yet profound reflection on the

nature of loss. By being able to remove herself from the emotional turmoil loss brings, Bishop

offers hope through her own life. Through it all, she does not discount the pain of losing, yet

rather reflects on the aftermath, and the healing. For Bishop, loss in any capacity is one in the

same; lose one thing, lose all things. One Art is a gentle reminder that no loss is too small or

great, too insignificant or powerful, to overcome and heal from.

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References

Lensing, George S. "About Elizabeth Bishop." About Elizabeth Bishop. Oxford University Press,

Feb. 2000. Web. 09 Apr. 2017.

<http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/bishop/about.htm>.

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Levine, Robert S., Michael A. Elliott, Sandra M. Gustafson, Amy Hungerford, and Mary

Loeffelholz. "Elizabeth Bishop." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 9th ed.

New York: W.W. Norton, 2017. 54-73. Print.

Villanelle: Poetic Form." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, 24 June 2016. Web. 09 Apr.

2017. <https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/text/villanelle-poetic-form>.