Poetic Imagery as Cognitive Landscape: Fragility, Transition, and Resilience in Mary Oliver’s Breakage
This study examines the thematic and cognitive structures within Mary Oliver’s poem Breakage through the lens of cognitive-linguistic theory, specifically Lakoff and Johnson’s (2003) conceptual metaphor framework. A meticulous line-by-line analysis reveals how Oliver’s natural imagery functions as an interconnected web of embodied metaphors, articulating themes of fragility, transition, resilience, and enlightenment. The findings demonstrate that her poetic language constructs a cohesive cognitive landscape where sensory and bodily experiences map onto abstract life processes, fostering emotional resonance and interpretative depth. This inquiry advances understanding of poetic metaphor as a vital aesthetic and pedagogical device rooted in embodied cognition, offering insights for literary theory, cognitive poetics, and intercultural literary studies.
Keywords: Mary Oliver, metaphor, cognitive linguistics, Lakoff and Johnson, resilience, transition, poetic imagery, embodied cognition
