Part three of
Understanding Heaven is concerned with the complexities of aging. Throughout part three, the narrator explores his own mortality reflected in his experiences with others. The poems "Noah Dreams", "Pit Horses", and "Near The Grave Of Amelia Earhart" explore particular moments in the narrator's life where he is faced with the death of a friend, family member, etc. Whenever we lose someone close to us, we often look at our own mortality. It seems to be a part of being human to reminisce those who have passed away. We have a tendency to memorialize loved ones, and somehow romanticize the memory. Stephen Guppy resists the temptation of romanticizing, by presenting an honest, and factual representation of the person he is paying respects to. It seems as though Guppy is concentrating on the awe that surrounds these memories of the past rather than focusing on the lament of loss. One of the most metaphorical poems in part three is called "Learning To Swim At Forty". Unlike most of the poems in
Understanding Heaven, "Learning To Swim At Forty" is broken into three line stanzas. The somewhat formal structure represents the structured process of how we learn to accept aging and the changes that come along with it. This is characterized by the opening words, "Letting go" (61 line 1). The narrator is learning to swim through the complexities of life, and take what comes next. The poem is full of poetic devices such as, "Subtle waves shimmer back" (61 line 13), or, "and over the mirroring skin of the lake" (61 line 10). However, the beauty of this poem can be found behind the words. The title, "Learning To Swim At Forty", seems to suggest that the narrator is about to partake on a new experience. One of the biggest obstacles to overcome is a fear of drowning. The narrator expresses this feeling when he says, "I frog-kick and flail in my haphazard breast stroke" (62 lines 25-26). The poem represents how the narrator reacts and accepts the changes that come with age. We can argue that although the narrator struggles with the metaphorical fear of drowning, he chooses to fight, and reach the core of understanding. This statement sums up the underlying theme that is represented in part three. Part three is another step in the narrator's life. His acceptance and understanding of change allows him to gain clearer understanding of what is yet to come in part four.
