Lepidopterology Essay | Critical Essay #3

Lepidopterology Critical Essay #3

Hill is the author of a poetry collection, has published widely in literary journals, and is an editor for a university publications department. In the following essay, she examines the “triangle” of metaphors that come together at the end of the poem to make a resounding statement about the nature of science, language, and renewed possibility.

In Three-toed Gull, Svenbro's first volume of poetry translated into English, the Swedish-born author dedicates much effort to examining things, people, and places in terms of the words that name them. That is, this is a book full of language about language, poetry about poetry. But it is also a book about science and history, philosophy and logic, and even love. Regardless of the translation, it is clear that Svenbro's focus is on words, names, titles, descriptors—essentially, anything that attempts to identify. In “Lepidopterology,” much attention is given to butterflies, as the title...
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