The Man-Moth by Elizabeth Bishop

Elizabeth Bishop’s, “The Man-Moth”

Right off the bat with this one I can see there is a connection between man and the life of a moth. As I read I could see the relationship between a moth and a man. The man who is lonely and wanting to be loved, "He does not see the moon; he observes only her vast properties, feeling the queer light on his hands, neither warm nor cold, of a temperature impossible to record in thermometers." This sounded like someone who might be depressed; maybe just getting by. The Man-Moth is looking up at the moon,“He thinks the moon is a small hole at the top of the sky, proving the sky quite useless for protection.” I am thinking this is someone who is looking at the moon as a goal to shoot for, but the moth falls. “But what the Man-Moth fears most he must do, although he fails, of course, and falls back scared but quite unhurt.” This is why I am thinking he is, trying for something and just can not quite get to it. Even though it talks about the Man-Moth, I think it is talking about people in the subways going to and from work, "Each night he must be carried through artificial tunnels and dream recurrent dreams." Can't you see people getting into the subway going home at night dreaming of what they could do and wanting to do it? The line, "Then from the lids one tear, his only possession, like the bee's sting slips," this is a strong statement but I am still trying to figure this into the reading. I can not wait until tonight so I can hear other's ideas and comments on this one!