Reflective Post on New Face (alice walker)

New Face

I have learned not to worry about love;

but to honor its coming

with all my heart.

To examine the dark mysteries

of the blood

with headless heed and

swirl,

to know the rush of feelings

swift and flowing

as water.

The source appears to be

some inexhaustible

spring

within our twin and triple

selves;

the new face I turn up

to you

no one else on earth

has ever

seen.

This is one of my favorite love poems, for several reasons. It speaks to me, as if I am reading my own thoughts. I ,myself, had to deal with the process of not worrying about love. Rather than being worried about love, I am patient and welcoming to it. I, also want to learn about love’s secrets ... selflessly. I want to enjoy the flowing emotions that it brings. To me the source of love is originated from God, and therefore had no end, since he has no end. We have multiple personalities, we take on depending on who we are with. The most precious or special character comes out when we are loved. So, I indeed feel like the author shares my same feelings on this topic.

Within class discussion, my blog group came across details that I will share with you (I’m only saying this, to let you know, this isn’t all my thought work). The first two lines, reminded me of the Bible’s “love is patient”, and how we should appreciate love, rather than be obsessed to an unhealthy extent. Jasmin thought that the blood in the fifth line could symbolize deep passion, since it’s color is deep red. David brought forth that the word “swirl” helped bring about a flowing sense of the love emotions being portrayed. The inexhaustible spring, as I said before, I believe is/or could be God, while also reusing the flowing theme. David added that the flowing now became a motif. Another comment he used was that a new person has come out of the experience of love (lines 13-15). The ending 4 lines, I personally think are beautiful, with the comparison to spring. Spring can be an out flowing, but also a season. This spring, brings about new life, and new “faces” as leaves fall and flowers bloom. Much like spring the lover opened the others heart to a renewed life/face. 

The author is a christian, and therefore knows what true love is. She captures it’s definition quite well within the poem. The poem in my eyes, is written with Christian views. The inexhaustible spring and flowing uses create a feel of spirit.

This piece and the knowledge I gained from reading and discussing it, is mainly that of viewing writting in many different angles. This way it is appreciated more and also adds to the feel of it. I could even say, “I learned to love this poem.”