The poem "This Blade of Grass" is a metaphor for the
speaker's life, which is represented as a blade of grass. The speaker compares
their life to a blade of grass, which is a small and seemingly insignificant
part of nature. However, the speaker asserts that their life is not
insignificant, as they are breaking the silence by existing and making their
presence known.
The speaker describes themselves as rough to the touch and having
keen edges, suggesting that their life has been difficult and perhaps painful.
They warn that those who hurry or try to remove them quickly will do so at
their own peril, implying that the speaker's life is not easily taken or
disregarded.
In the final lines of the poem, the speaker describes themselves
as a dervish in a strong wind, bringing ecstasy to the doorstep. A dervish is a
mystic or Sufi practitioner who engages in whirling dance as a form of
spiritual devotion. The strong wind represents the force of life and the
tumultuous experiences that the speaker has faced. The ecstasy brought to the
doorstep represents the beauty and joy that the speaker has brought to the
world despite the difficulties they have faced.
Overall, the poem is a powerful meditation on the significance of
life and the impact that each individual can have on the world. The blade of
grass serves as a metaphor for the fragility and resilience of life, and the
poem encourages the reader to embrace their own life and the experiences that
make it unique.
