Looking for a Cousin on a Swing by A.K Ramanujan summary and analysis

 

Looking for a Cousin on a Swing

When she was four or five

She sat on a village swing

And her cousin, six or seven,

Sat himself against her;

With every lunge of the swing

She felt him

In the lunging pits

Of her feeling;

And afterwards

We climbed a tree, she said,

Not very tall, but full of leaves

Like those of a fig tree,

And we were very innocent

about it.

Now she looks for the swing

In cities with fifteen suburbs

And tries to be innocent

About it

Not only on the crotch of a tree

That looked as if it would burst

Under every leaf

Into a brood of scarlet figs

If someone suddenly sneezed

 

The speaker reminisces about a past experience when a young girl, aged four or five, sat on a swing in a village. Her older cousin, aged six or seven, sat closely behind her on the swing. With each movement of the swing, the girl felt her cousin's presence intimately, as if he were pressing against her.

The imagery of the swing conveys a sense of movement and closeness between the two cousins. The speaker recounts how, after their time on the swing, they climbed a tree together. The tree is described as not very tall but lush with leaves, resembling a fig tree. The innocence of their actions is emphasized, suggesting a carefree and playful time in their childhood.

In the present, the girl, now grown, searches for a similar experience of innocence. She seeks out swings in urban environments, hoping to recapture the purity and simplicity of her childhood. The repetition of trying to be "innocent about it" suggests a longing to reconnect with the carefree spirit of youth.

The poem concludes with a vivid image of the girl perched on the crotch of a tree, reminiscent of their childhood climb. The tree is described as on the verge of bursting with ripe figs, evoking a sense of abundance and fertility. The mention of someone sneezing hints at the fragility of the moment, as if any disruption could shatter the figs.

 

The poem explores the speaker's longing for the innocence and simplicity of childhood memories spent on a swing with their cousin. There is a juxtaposition between the innocence of childhood and the complexities of adulthood, as seen in the contrast between the carefree playfulness of climbing trees and the adult search for that same innocence.

The contrast between the village swing and the urban setting with "fifteen suburbs" reflects the encroachment of urbanization on natural, childhood experiences.

The swing and tree serve as powerful symbols of childhood innocence and freedom. They evoke sensory experiences and emotions associated with carefree play and exploration. The fig tree symbolizes fertility, abundance, and the passage of time. Its lush leaves and the potential burst of scarlet figs suggest the richness of childhood memories and the fleeting nature of youth.

The tone is nostalgic and reflective, as the speaker fondly recalls past experiences while simultaneously grappling with the passage of time and the loss of innocence.  There is a sense of longing and yearning throughout the poem, as the speaker searches for traces of childhood innocence in the present.