Miracle Ice Cream -Adrienne Rich: Feminine Perspectives

Miracle Ice Cream 

by Adrienne Rich

Miracle's truck comes down the little avenue,
Scott Joplin ragtime strewn behind it like pearls,
and, yes, you can feel happy
with one piece of your heart.

Take what's still given: in a room's rich shadow
a woman's breasts swinging lightly as she bends.
Early now the pearl of dusk dissolves.
Late, you sit weighing the evening news,
fast-food miracles, ghostly revolutions,
the rest of your heart.

Adrienne Rich, American poet and essayist, best known for her examination of the experiences of women in society reviews "Miracle Ice Cream" in feminine perspectives. Apparently the title suggests that the poem focuses on a special type or special dish of ice cream as it describes an ice cream truck and a woman serving ice cream. However,  the ice cream has been attributed to something really special in the speaker’s life, thus giving it the name “miracle ice cream.” In fact, "Miracle Ice Cream" explores love to everyday things and the development of women's roles in seeing life in her own terms. It explores the concept of finding happiness in small moments of joy. The image of Miracle's truck and the Scott Joplin ragtime music evoke a sense of delight and contentment.

Scott Joplin, African-American composer and pianist achieved fame for his ragtime compositions and it is heard in “little avenue”. It is described as being little lane so that it is seen as simple and quaint. “Pearls” are used to describe the ragtime music that plays to give it a light, elegant feel. The first stanza snapshots a picture of a bunch of little children chasing the ice cream truck on a summer day.  Here is no other feeling except joyance with a piece of ice cream and enjoy. The speaker maintains a positive and optimistic attitude throughout the first half of the poem; she is explaining to the reader that there are several ways to be happy with your life, even if you don’t feel complete. In the first stanza, the speaker maintains a light, cheery tone by describing simple, innocent things like an ice cream truck and ragtime music playing in the background:

“Miracle's truck comes down the little avenue,

Scott Joplin ragtime strewn behind it like pearls,

and, yes, you can feel happy

with one piece of your heart.”

The second half is still optimistic, yet the tone becomes just slightly different.  During one’s haste life schedules, one can enjoy little moods of joy. Miracle Ice Cream reflects these concerns. It is a probing examination of joy and of what it means to be a woman in America. It discovers ways to apply her joy not to self-construction but to pointed critiques and envisioning of life as a whole.

The poem highlights the importance of appreciating the gifts that life still offers. The phrase "Take what's still given" suggests embracing the present and finding joy in simple pleasures, even within the confines of a room's rich shadow. Adrienne tries to capture the fleeting nature of time and how the beauty of dusk eventually fades away. The pearl of dusk symbolizes a moment of tranquility and beauty that gradually dissolves as night falls. It also touches on the overwhelming nature of modern life, with references to the evening news, fast-food miracles, and ghostly revolutions. These phrases convey a sense of disillusionment and the struggle to find genuine meaning in a world filled with fleeting distractions.

Beginning with a formal and very finished modernist style, Rich’s "Miracle Ice Cream" in the second stanza took on a much more experimental form as she explored increasingly our daily social positions and interrogated our assumptions about enjoyment of heart and the ways we structure our social experience. The new day starting, the evening news, the miracle of fast food, and the dreams that occupy the night are the ephemeral source of joy in one’s heart. For these things can complete our heart with fun of living:

“Take what's still given: in a room's rich shadow

a woman's breasts swinging lightly as she bends.

Early now the pearl of dusk dissolves.

Late, you sit weighing the evening news,

fast-food miracles, ghostly revolutions,

the rest of your heart.”

The poem also explores the idea of embracing the present and finding fulfillment within the confines of domestic spaces. It portrays a woman bending, suggesting a connection to domestic chores, yet finding freedom and delight in her movement, highlighting the resilience and strength of women in finding happiness amidst their responsibilities. Additionally, the poem invites reflection on the complexities of a woman's emotional and intellectual life. It acknowledges the weight carried by women as they navigate the evening news and the demands of the world, emphasizing their ability to hold and balance multiple perspectives and emotions. By mentioning the pearl of dusk dissolving, the poem hints at the transient nature of femininity and the passing of time. It alludes to the fleeting moments of beauty and joy experienced by women and encourages cherishing those moments before they fade away.

"Miracle Ice Cream" by Adrienne Rich offers a feminine perspective by depicting the joy and happiness that can be found in simple, everyday experiences, such as the swinging breasts of a woman. It celebrates the beauty and power of femininity in creating moments of contentment and pleasure. By centering on the experiences, emotions, and resilience of women, it celebrates their ability to find happiness in small moments, navigate the complexities of life, and embrace the transient beauty that comes with being a woman.

Now, after reading Rich’s "Miracle Ice Cream", we find that the title is explaining not a miraculous serving of ice cream, but rather that miracles come in simple forms. For example, the poem finds miracles in fast-food and the evening news, and the title points out that miracles can be commonplace and even in your own household. If we treat simple items as such, we can lead a very happy and fulfilling life. We can find miracles in everyday things. If we are happy with the little things, we can be happy with everything. Ultimately, "Miracle Ice Cream" prompts readers to contemplate the state of their own hearts. It suggests that amidst the complexities of life, there may still be fragments of happiness to be found, even if they exist alongside the weight of the evening news and the challenges of the world.

 Ardhendu De 

Ref:

 1. Miracle Ice Cream by Adrienne Rich - Meaning, Themes, Analysis and Literary Devices - American Poems. (n.d.). Miracle Ice Cream by Adrienne Rich - Meaning, Themes, Analysis and Literary Devices - American Poems. https://www.americanpoems.com/poets/adrienne_rich/miracle-ice-cream/

2. Adrienne Rich - Wikipedia. (2011, May 1). Adrienne Rich - Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrienne_Rich