Themes
Existence and Meaning
Using a vision evoked from the music of a flute and
drum, the speaker suggests thought-provoking
ideas on existence and meaning. He poses ques-
tions concerning the purpose of a life on earth that
inevitably leads to death. This is demonstrated
through the depiction of the wedding party
accompanying the bride and groom as a funeral-
like procession, suggesting that despite the happy
years spent together as husband and wife, ulti-
mately their union will end in death. He then gen-
erally observes that people naively believe life is
long. However, despite the fact that they attempt
to assign purpose to their existence through rela-
tionships and work, ultimately they die, without
history documenting their personal lives. Overall,TOPICS FOR
FURTHER
STUDY Compose an original two-stanza poem (of at
least fifteen lines), emulating the content and
style of Milosz’s ‘‘In Music.’’ In the first
stanza, describe a scene conjured while lis-
tening to music. Attempt to incorporate
vivid imagery that connects humans with
elements of nature. In stanza two, provide
a philosophical explanation for why these
visions were elicited from music. Consider
how this reverie could possibly tie into ideas
about existence.
Read Billy Collins’s poem, ‘‘Man Listening to
Disc,’’ which describes the thoughts of a
speaker listening to jazz as he walks the streets
of his city. Write an essay in which you com-
pare and contrast this poem to Milosz’s ‘‘In
Music.’’ Consider each poet’s use of images of
nature, what characterizes the reveries of each
speaker and their effect on them, and what
connections each makes with music and his
sense of his place in the world.
Read T. S. Eliot’s essay ‘‘The Metaphysical
Poets’’ (1921), in which Eliot argues that meta-
physical poetry of the seventeenth century
should be lauded for its unique qualities and
its deviation from Elizabethan love poetry.
Eliot also discusses the characteristics of meta-
physical poetry and its power to influence
future poets as an exciting approach to craft.
Next, conduct research on Milosz’s views on
metaphysical poetry. Then, in the voice of
Milosz, compose a letter addressed to Eliot,in which Milosz responds to the ideas posited
in Eliot’s essay. Consider whether Milosz
would agree, overall, with Eliot’s ideas and if
Milosz would deem the poem ‘‘In Music’’ a
metaphysical work.
Milosz’s ‘‘In Music’’ contains hints of Lith-
uanian mysticism. The poet writes that the
time to live is short and eventually humanity
will return to and become one with the earth.
Conduct research on Lithuanian culture and
folklore. Pay special attention to spiritual
beliefs concerning the earth and other ele-
ments of nature as well as the relation
between the living and dead. Write an essay
in which you first present your research find-
ings. Then, discuss your culture’s beliefs
concerning religion/spirituality, its rituals,
and how these beliefs shape your view of
the existence or non-existence of an afterlife.
Include how your cultural beliefs compare
with those of Lithuanian culture.
Read Anne Bradstreet’s young adult poem,
‘‘The Flesh and the Spirit,’’ which addresses
the ongoing battle between good and evil
through a personified dialogue between
flesh/body and spirit/soul. Create an essay
in which you compare and contrast the
poet’s imagery of the flesh and spirit to
that of Milosz’s ‘‘In Music.’’ Discuss how
Bradstreet’s philosophy of the superior
heavenly soul connects with Milosz’s depic-
tion of the victorious spirit.In Music