AMALIA RAHMAWATI/17320100

Analysis of The Theme of The Poem "Listening" by Emily Grosholz

Important targets in feminist analysis according to Suwardi Endaswara (2008: 146) are as
far as possible related to : (1) revealing the works of women writers past and present; (2) exposes
various pressures on female figures in literary works written by male authors; (3) reveal the
ideology of female and male authors, how they see themselves in real life; (4) examines aspects
of gynocritics, understands feminist creative processes; and (5) revealing aspects of feminist
psychoanalysis, why women prefer things that are subtle, emotional, loving and so forth. In the
world of literature, feminism can be used as an approach in literary criticism.

As expressed by Kolodny in Djajanegara (2000: 19) states that feminist literary criticism
reveals women according to sexually stereotypes, both in literature and in literary criticism, and
also shows that inadequate schools and ways have been (used for) examines women's writing
unfairly, insensitivity. Sugihastuti (2002: 140) revealed that feminist literary criticism is a
literary criticism that views literature with a special awareness of the existence of sex that has a
lot to do with culture, literature, and human life. Using feminism theory, I would like to analyze
a poem “Listening” by Emily Grosholz.

Words in my ear, and someone still unseen

Not yet quite viable, but quietly
Astir inside my body;
Not yet quite named, and yet
I weave a birthplace for him out of words.

Part of the world persists

Distinct from what we say, but part will stay
Only if we keep talking: only speech
Can re-create the gardens of the world.

Not the rose itself,

But the School of Night assembled at its side
Arguing, praising, whom we now recall.

A rose can sow its seed

Alone, but poets need their auditors
And mothers need their language for a cradle.

My son still on his stalk

 Rides between the silence of the flowers
And conversation offered by his parents,
Wise and foolish talk, to draw him out.

In my opinion the theme of the poem entitled "Listening" is feminists who want to fight
for their rights as women. I think this poem has a very complex meaning. This poem tells of a
woman who was pregnant with her child. Many people think that getting pregnant is normal for
women so there is nothing difficult. Though conceiving a child is a struggle of a woman. Before
she gives birth to a child, a woman will definitely prepare anything that will be taught to her
child. The teachings must not be careless, must be able to teach languages that educate. In my
opinion, this poem also implies that the mother is the first education for her child. Although in
the womb, children can certainly feel the conscience of the mother. Maybe at that time the
environment he lived in still didn't understand much about this, so the woman could only hold
back and wanted to be listened to by her complaints. Here we can see how women struggle to
fight for their rights but there are still those who underestimate.

The conclusion is the story in the poem "Listening" about feminism. A woman's struggle
with a child must be considered. I hope anyone can appreciate the struggle of women.