Will go on Hugging by M R Renukumar: Summary & Themes

 M R Renukumar

M R Renukumar is a Malayalam poet, essayist, biographer, short story writer, translator and painter. He is the recipient of 2019 Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry. Renukumar published four collections of poetry. Keninilangail (In marshy lands, 2005), Veshakkaya (The fruit of knowledge, 2007) Pachakkuppi (Green bottle, 2011) and Kothiyan (2017). He has translated the graphic biography of B.R. Ambedkar, Bhimayana: Experiences of Untouchability, from English into Malayalam (2014).

Summary

"Will Go On Hugging," a poem originally written in Malayalam as "Vaari Vaari Punarum", reflects the themes of love, separation, and persistence within a family, using vivid imagery and symbolism to explore the emotional dynamics between the speaker's parents. The poem is structured in free verse, which allows the narrative to flow naturally, much like the river that symbolizes the central metaphor of the poem.

The poem begins by describing the parents before they became parents, emphasizing their individuality and separate lives on opposite banks of a river. The river serves as both a physical and metaphorical divide between the mother and father. Despite this separation, they remain connected through daily rituals and small acts of love. The father bathes on one bank while the mother washes already-clean clothes on the other, an act that is more about maintaining a connection with her husband than about fulfilling a domestic chore. The mother reflects sunlight into the father's eyes using a steel vessel, a symbolic gesture that highlights the subtle, yet powerful, ways in which they communicate and reach out to each other.

The poem is rich in symbolism, with the river being the most prominent. It represents the divide between the parents, yet it also serves as a conduit for their connection. The ghats, or riverbanks, where the parents engage in their daily rituals, symbolize their separate lives before they united as a family. The father's transformation into a "loudspeaker" for the mother, and the mother's use of sunlight to communicate with the father, are metaphors for the ways in which they try to bridge the emotional and physical distance between them.

As the poem progresses, the imagery of the parents swimming midstream to build a "honeyed island" represents moments of unity and love, where they meet in the middle of the river, transcending the barriers between them. This island is a metaphor for the sweet, ephemeral moments of togetherness that sustain their relationship. However, even when they must return to their respective banks, the "midstream water remains sugary," signifying that the love they share endures despite the separation.

The speaker, who is the child of these parents, embodies the union of their love, even as the parents remain on separate shores. The child anticipates the day when the parents will "swim to the same shore," reflecting a longing for unity and completeness within the family. However, the speaker also recognizes the futility of the situation—the river and the banks symbolize the insurmountable obstacles that keep the parents apart. Despite this, the speaker affirms the persistence of love by repeatedly stating, "Still, I go on hugging them, go on hugging them."

In essence, "Will Go On Hugging" is a poignant exploration of the complexities of love, distance, and the enduring bonds that connect a family. Through its rich symbolism and evocative imagery, the poem captures the tension between separation and connection, ultimately affirming the power of love to persist even in the face of obstacles. The speaker's role as the product of this love underscores the idea that, despite the physical and emotional barriers, the love between the parents endures, and the family remains united in spirit.

Themes


Separation and Connection
   The poem's central theme is the tension between separation and connection. The river that divides the parents physically symbolizes the emotional distance that often exists in relationships. Despite this divide, the parents remain deeply connected through their actions, rituals, and unspoken love. This theme highlights the paradox of being both separated and united, showing how love can persist across physical and emotional barriers.

Love and Persistence
   The poem portrays love as a persistent force that endures despite obstacles. The daily rituals the parents engage in—bathing, washing clothes, singing—are acts of love that maintain their connection. Even when separated by the river, their love continues to manifest in small, meaningful ways. The repetition of the speaker's affirmation that they "go on hugging them" underscores the idea that love endures and persists, even in the face of challenges and separations.

Ritual and Routine
   The poem emphasizes the significance of daily rituals and routines in sustaining relationships. The parents' activities on their respective riverbanks—bathing, washing clothes, singing—are more than just mundane tasks; they are expressions of love and connection. These routines become symbolic of the ways in which people maintain emotional bonds, even when physically apart. The poem suggests that love can be sustained through the repetition of such rituals, which create a sense of continuity and connection.

Longing and Anticipation
   The theme of longing is central to the poem, particularly in the speaker's anticipation of the moment when the parents will finally "swim to the same shore." This longing reflects a desire for unity and wholeness within the family, a yearning for the parents to overcome the barriers that separate them. The sleeplessness and silent yearning of both parents mirror this longing, underscoring the emotional distance they feel despite their love for each other.

Futility and Hope
   The poem also grapples with the theme of futility, as expressed in the lines about the "futile" nature of the river, the banks, and even the speaker's existence. Despite the challenges and the seemingly insurmountable obstacles (the river and the banks), there is a persistent hope that love will prevail. The poem suggests that while the situation may seem futile, the bonds of love and the hope for unity remain strong, providing a sense of purpose and meaning.

Parent-Child Relationship
   The poem explores the parent-child relationship, with the speaker as the embodiment of the parents' love. The speaker's role in the poem highlights the impact of the parents' relationship on the child, who exists as a result of their union. The child's anticipation and emotional responses reflect a deep connection to the parents and a desire for their unity. This theme emphasizes the ways in which a child is both a product of and a participant in the parents' relationship, bridging the gap between them.


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