Mei-mei Berssenbrugge, from The Retired Architect.

group: Mohamad Jalloul, Nicola Young, Sarah-Helene Laferriere, Tara Saunders, Jennifer Sacco and Natasha Gold

As a group we analyzed the poem "The Retired Architect", written by Mei-mei Berssenbrugge. We felt as though this poem was about growth and the process of self-acceptance as one ages. As she ages, she loses the need for such decorations as "gold leaf", which is really only beautiful on the outside, luring one in, only to be lacking in substance in the end. As she says, "Actually, I designed two bungalows: the gold leaf, and one later, because I had missed something." She realizes as she ages that it is not necessary to decorate herself with such fine things and instead, the more natural is better. She uses similies at the beginning of the poem, comparing herself to aspects of nature. It is the natural idea of human life versus nature and finally allowing nature to win. When one does that, there is a finer grace about him/her. Also, when speaking of "the plastic wood paneling, the plastic ducks..." there is another shedding of the skin, as if she finally realizes there is no need for such ornaments, plastic that is not real and is cheap.
There is use of metonymy through the idea of architecture, with "calculations" and "support". With the concept of architecture, the reader imagines sharp and clean angles, everything neatly constructed. It is an attempt to build one's self properly but concrete and perfectly consctructed angles are unnatural and can only erode with time. This is an idea that, by the end of the poem, is not only accepted but embraced as well. With the final line of the poem, "Now, when my work expresses loss or failure, I no longer say, get rid of that." It is a really beautiful way to end the poembecause there is an obvious feeling of closure, as if the author has truly accepted the person that she is and recognizes that failure and mistakes are a part of the process that makes us all wonderfully human. It is also important to note that the first poem in the book, by this author, was "from Four Year Old Girl" and ended with this poem, as though she herself was showing the journey she has taken.
There was an example of anaphora at the beginning of the poem, with the repetition of "I". We also felt that the image of the lake was comparable to her perspective, which ripples and changes over time. This poem is a beautiful reflection on life and the choices one can make to embrace the finer things in life, if they can let go of the superficial.