alchemy of poetry
Art often shuns the cold logic of science, viewing numbers and formulas as foreign to the emotional, abstract world of poetry. But as both a poet and a scientist, I’ve discovered that neither can exist in isolation. Through my studies of science unraveling the complex chemistry of the world around me, I have been able to access new connections previously unrevealed through the abstraction of art. It is only through the interplay between the tangible and immaterial that we can begin to bridge the gap of the complex human condition, revealing the alchemical potential of both. I believe that true art is an expression of the chemical concept of alchemy:
Alchemy, an ancient form of chemistry and speculative thought that, among other aims, tried to transform base metals such as lead or copper into silver or gold and to discover a cure for disease and a way of extending life.
As a poet, my goal within creating and consuming art is generating transformation. On a basic level, transforming immaterial emotions to tangible words with the use of metaphors and similes is an immediate way to touch upon this keystone idea. The wider the theoretical distance between ideas, paradoxically sheds new awareness of the original concept: creating gold out of available metals. I call upon poets to confront contradictions, embrace complexity, and break down boundaries—just as the alchemist sought to break down the barriers between the physical and the metaphysical.
Transformation, then, occurs not only within the poet but within the reader as well. Through language and metaphor, the poet invites the reader to wrestle with their own assumptions, beliefs, and emotions. Poetry, in this sense, is a reciprocal process of transformation—one where both poet and reader are changed by the alchemical reaction that takes place. Through metaphor and structure, the poet invites the reader into a dance of interpretation. The reader’s own experiences and worldview blend with the words on the page, creating an alchemical reaction that changes both the poem and the reader. Transformation happens when the reader is forced to engage with the tensions within the poem—whether through conflicting emotions, shifts in perspective, or unsettling contradictions. Poetry does not provide all the answers; it leaves room for the reader to uncover their own.
A reader is able to experience this alchemy through the gradual reveal of conflicting information. This is where I believe patience is key. To reveal gold without hinting at its humble origin, spoils the quality of its fortified nature. In Wan Chu’s Wife in Bed translated by Richard Jones, we see the enriched complexities of the human experience created through intentionally gradual reveal.
The complex notion of love is explored through the juxtaposition of infidelity, revealing the transformative idea that these two qualities can coexist. By introducing conflicting concepts, the author encourages the reader to unravel notions of duality often straining our logical processing. I encourage the concept of shock factor, however this must not be the basis of beauty found within poems. I am a huge fan of often using grotesque imagery and diction to paint an uncomfortable sensation for readers to unravel. The goal is not the immediate shock, but the lingering aftertaste left within the reader that can potentially lead to transformed introspection. Jones’ translation accomplishes this reflection, as the reader is forced to reconcile with the wholesome moment between the speaker and her husband shared in bed, supplemented by her impending thoughts of betrayal. Introducing conflicting feelings is an effective way to create tension within the mind of the reader, birthing the opportunity for the audience to synthesize their own resolution based on their personal experiences.
We think of journaling as the solution for therapeutic release to process our grievances through written word. What is the difference between a journal entry and good poetry? In all honesty, not much. While journaling may serve as a private, cathartic release, poetry has a broader aim—it transforms deeply personal, often repressed emotions into something that can be shared, debated, and reinterpreted. By offering our work to an audience, we open ourselves up to the alchemical process of communal transformation. In this way we are transforming abstract feelings to tangible ones on a larger reaction scale, calling for more powerful tools of language and editing. The act of writing becomes a process of distillation—removing impurities from the experience to reveal a clearer, more resonant truth.
Sylvia Plath, a feminist poet is often criticized for her writing being “glorified journal entries”. She is often ridiculed for using shock factor to elicit a surprised or disturbed reaction from her audience, without any deeper meaning or purpose beyond just wanting to be shocking. In actuality, Plath’s work exemplifies the mode of alchemy that synthesizes new connections to birth transformation for a wider audience than just herself.
“Lady Lazarus” by Sylvia Plath documents the taboo and triggering topic of her suicide attempts, which on paper sounds repulsing and published in bad taste. What is actually revealed from this work is her profound feelings of resentment and shame toward the patriarchy—watering her down as a “smiling woman” who was graciously saved via miracle rather than mistake. This piece encourages a deep reflection of the world around us: specifically the lack of empathy within the medical field regarding mental health. Plath is able to transform her traumatic experience of shame into a larger meditation on society's reaction to mentally ill women.
Plath is able to make personal experiences universally valuable through the synthesis of alternative metaphors found within the Bible. Lazarus, a parable within the Bible, tells the story of a man resurrected by Jesus. Plath identifies with this religious figure in how she narrates surviving a suicide attempt, illustrating a very contrasting—almost blasphemous—allusion. The shock of Plath’s writing isn’t in the rawness of the subject matter alone, but in how she juxtaposes it with cultural expectations and religious iconography. Shock, when used deliberately and thoughtfully, serves to break the reader out of complacency, forcing them to confront uncomfortable truths about the world around them. In this way, it becomes a powerful catalyst for introspection and societal critique.
Alchemy, like writing, is an inherently democratic craft, available to those who are dedicated to sharpening their own tools of awareness to generate a change in perspective. In accessing valuable truths previously unrevealed to us, poetry offers the outlet of shifting positionality. Whether it's changing the perspective of the poem to first person, second person, third person, or creating a persona poem from a completely different view point: we are able to see beyond the limited gaze of our peripheral vision.
Skinhead by Patricia Smith embodies evolutionary empathy fostered by a shift in positionality. As a black woman, she took on the persona of a racist skinhead: a caucasian man in America. Patricia Smith challenges her own worldview by escaping the positionality of a black woman into the mindset of her oppressor. Through her imagination, Smith is able to transform the unknown into the known by characterizing herself with tangible struggles. Through the development of palpable life experiences of the skinhead, Smith is able to logically access the motivating factors of blind racism she experienced. Smith’s adoption of the skinhead persona demonstrates how poets can push against their own boundaries and assumptions by stepping into the shoes of others, even their oppressors. This act of self-transformation through perspective shift is one of the most powerful ways poetry functions as alchemy. It forces readers to grapple with their own beliefs, prejudices, and ideas.
Poetry is a subtle agreement of evolution made between author and consumer. You don't want to blatantly force feed connections to your readers, rather tempt them with the aroma of nostalgic scents to lure them in. My favorite way to chemically connect with the audience subtly before conscious recognition is through rhyme. Though be warned: the power of rhyme is a double edged sword. Rhyme can create a rhythmic resonance that enhances the emotional experience, yet it can also distract or alienate the audience if not used thoughtfully. When forced into endings of lines, it might invoke nausea within the audience as they search for real meaning. Seduce readers with slant rhymes, edging them from the satisfaction of getting clean cut revelations.
Presto! Manifesto by A.E. Stallings illuminates the metamorphic nature of rhyme within poetry.
“Rhyme is an irrational, sensual link between two words. It is chemical. It is alchemical.”
“Rhymes may be so far apart, you cannot hear them, but they can hear each other, as if whispering on a toy telephone made of two paper cups and a length of string.”
Encourage confusion and the satisfaction of your wit found when readers are forced to make sense of your syllables through spoken word. The connection of synapses is more meaningful when it is revealed through suspense and surprise. In my own writing, I aim for layers of rhyme schemes. Sometimes the obvious serves as a red herring for the underlying consonance connected between stanzas. A one dimensional poem that reads exactly as intended falls flat with time. I reveal my work with a poker face, letting an audience consume its content with enough ambiguity that they are forced to project their own feelings and find their unique relation to the words.
To encourage alchemy is not as simple as imitating it. The key to mastering the craft of writing poetry is a similar journey then that of an alchemist. Alchemists perfect their study over mastering practical knowledge about matter while exploring sophisticated theories about the hidden nature of transformation. This is not an immediately tangible path, but one that must be walked with faith. Writing good poetry requires taking challenging risks. Like scientists conducting blind experiments, poets must venture into the unknown, trusting that these risks will lead to greater truths and transformations. Challenge duality. Challenge the unknown. Challenge what is comfortable. This challenge is the essential chemistry for change.
