A gentle tapping disrupts the quiet contemplation. Is it joy itself, flinging “little stones” at the windowpane in Mario Benedetti’s poem “Little Stones at My Window”? This seemingly simple act sparks a cascade of emotions – a quiet hope for connection, a flicker of anxiety beneath a calm exterior, and the gnawing uncertainty of an unknown future.
Little Stones at My Window
By Mario Benedetti
for roberto and adelaida
Once in a while
joy throws little stones at my window
it wants to let me know that it’s waiting for me
but today I’m calm
I’d almost say even-tempered
I’m going to keep anxiety locked up
and then lie flat on my back
which is an elegant and comfortable position
for receiving and believing news
who knows where I’ll be next
or when my story will be taken into account
who knows what advice I still might come up with
and what easy way out I’ll take not to follow it
don’t worry, I won’t gamble with an eviction
I won’t tattoo remembering with forgetting
there are many things left to say and suppress
and many grapes left to fill our mouths
don’t worry, I’m convinced
joy doesn’t need to throw any more little stones
I’m coming
I’m coming.
Themes
Mario Benedetti’s “Little Stones at My Window” is a poem layered with emotions. On the surface, it paints a picture of enduring love, where “little stones” symbolize messages from a distant lover, keeping the connection alive. However, a closer look reveals a tapestry woven with more complex themes. Joy, personified as throwing stones, fuels a sense of waiting and hope, while the speaker’s “calmness” masks a subtle anxiety about the future. Uncertainty about their location and the timing of their story’s resolution adds another layer. Yet, the poem culminates in a sense of decision and conviction. The speaker’s declaration of “I’m coming” and the belief that joy doesn’t need to throw stones anymore suggest a newfound resolve. Finally, depending on the reader’s perspective, the poem can also touch on themes of memory and loss, particularly when considering Benedetti’s own experiences in exile. Through its ambiguity and rich emotions, “Little Stones at My Window” invites readers to connect with themes that resonate deeply within them.
Analysis
The poem “Little Stones at My Window” by Mario Benedetti is a reflection on the themes of joy, anxiety, waiting, and the passing of time. The poem is written in four stanzas, with each stanza exploring a different aspect of these themes.
The first stanza sets the scene for the poem, describing how joy occasionally throws little stones at the speaker’s window as a way of signaling its presence and letting the speaker know that it is waiting for them. However, the speaker is calm and even-tempered, and has decided to keep anxiety locked up and lie flat on their back, which is an elegant and comfortable position for receiving and believing news.
The second stanza explores the themes of uncertainty and the passing of time, with the speaker wondering where they will be next or when their story will be taken into account. The speaker also reflects on the advice they might still come up with and the easy way out they might take not to follow it.
The third stanza is a reassurance to the reader that the speaker will not gamble with an eviction or tattoo remembering with forgetting. The speaker acknowledges that there are many things left to say and suppress, and many grapes left to fill their mouths.
The final stanza is a declaration of conviction, with the speaker convinced that joy does not need to throw any more little stones. The speaker is coming, and is ready to embrace the joy that awaits them.
Throughout the poem, Benedetti uses vivid imagery and metaphor to explore the complex emotions that we all experience. The personification of joy as a stone-thrower is a particularly effective way of conveying the idea that joy is always present, even if we don’t always recognize it. The image of anxiety locked up and the speaker lying flat on their back is also a powerful way of conveying the idea that we have the power to control our emotions, rather than being controlled by them.