The Transformative Power of Beauty

In her poem “Bonfire Opera,” Danusha Laméris presents beauty as a multifaceted phenomenon capable of prompting transformation in the beholder. The title already makes it clear that multiple types of experiences will be juxtaposed; here, bonfires and operas already convey different standards of beauty. On the one hand, bonfires evoke casual gatherings usually held in nature that can connect us to others as well as to ancestral practices. Operas, on the other hand, tend to integrate various artistic expressions (including music, dance, and theater) in a performance that, for some, symbolizes luxury. However, both bonfires and operas share the capacity for beauty and the potential for storytelling. In “Bonfire Opera,” beauty gives rise to the speaker’s reflection on human nature.

The poem begins with the speaker sharing a memory. She tells the story of how a woman in her community...