‘Tissue’, by Imtiaz Dharker, begins by exploring how paper (initially, thin tissue
paper) can change things: it can alter things, and, as such, it has power.
She describes the paper in religious books or family histories in which details of a
baby's life are written. Paper has power when it is used to divide and to mark out, to segregate,
to order, or to control. Dharker explores how paper seems to have power in commerce,
through receipts which control money in finance. But it's all an illusion. It's all like a
paper kite. There's no real power, no real control–just the power we let it have. In
reality, we give paper power, but it is fragile. The poem ends with the image of how human
life, a different kind of tissue, is similar: powerful but fragile.
Now this is just a quick recap of the poem for revision purposes – for more details
see my full analysis video, which I’ll link at the end.
Imtiaz Dharker is a poet, artist, and filmmaker; born in 1954 in Pakistan, but brought up in
Scotland. She describes herself as a “Scottish Pakistani Muslim Calvinist, adopted by India
and by Wales as well” – we’ll come back to the importance of this in a moment.
Let’s think about the title: what is ‘tissue’? Well, firstly, it's very thin paper. But it's
also the material that we as humans are made up of, human tissue. And both are referred
to in this poem. So the two meanings help us bring together the metaphor that human
power is fragile like tissue paper. And this is an idea explored throughout the poem, but
exemplified very simply in the title, which has a double meaning that draws together the
metaphor of human power being fragile.
‘Paper that lets the light shine through, this is what could alter things.’ What is
paper that lets the light shine through? Well, have you ever seen an old Bible? The paper
in a Bible is so thin. It's made of what's called India paper, very tough, thin, nearly
see-through paper. And there seems to be some comment on religious power taking place here,
backed up by the reference to the Koran in stanza two.
There’s a metaphor that backs this up as well, which is the metaphor of light –Dharker
describes herself as a Muslim Calvinist, referencing two religions, Islam and Christianity. So
how does light play a part in those religions? Well, in the Bible, Jesus says, “I am the
light of the world.” In the Koran, it says, “Allah is the Light of the heavens and the
earth.” So we can read that ‘light’ here, along with the reference to the Koran
and the thin paper, as a comment on the power of religion, with light perhaps being a metaphor
for God. And what can the power of God do? It can ‘alter
things’. it can change things. In other words, God has power. But all the way throughout
the poem, ‘light’ is also used as a metaphor for nature: ‘light’, ‘sunshine’, and
‘daylight’. So as well as the religious metaphor, light can be interpreted as a symbol
for nature. Now, in the following stanzas, there are numerous
references to things which hold power that are man made – buildings, maps, receipts.
We as humans give these things power. But the poet is suggesting that they don't really
have power. So let's look at them individually. ‘Buildings’… Now, buildings are later
referred to as ‘capitals and monoliths’, which represent human governments and buildings.
They symbolise human power. So they are buildings that represent human government and power.
Next we have the mention of ‘maps’. What do maps do? They segregate; they divide the
natural world. How? Through humanity's power. Humans chooses how to divide the natural world
to control countries, borders, civilisations. And maps are a great example of humanity trying
to exert its power over nature, creating divides which are not naturally there.
Then there is the reference to ‘receipts’. When you buy something, you get a little written
or printed statement acknowledging that something's been paid for, all the goods have been received.
And, again, receipts are man-made. They’re used to control, through the governance of
money, if you like. So the metaphor that receipts can ‘fly our lives’, the simile ‘like
paper kites’ suggests that money dominates us; it controls us; it has power over us.
So there are a number of references to human power and control through the extended metaphor
of paper. But as we've already established then, paper
is a symbol of human power. Receipts can ‘fly our lives like paper kites’, but they are
fragile and easily destroyed. Paper kites are easily destroyed. They're fragile. Receipts
are manmade. The suggestion here, then, is that man-made power is not permanent.
Now the poem is written in free verse. It does not rhyme or have a regular rhythm. There's
no consistency of syllables per line. And, again, these choices reflect the lack of power
man has. As much as mankind tries to order, arrange, and control the structural choices
from the poet undermine this and suggest that the efforts of futile.
If man made power is not permanent, what is? The power of nature! When we read about the
paper maps, the sun, a symbol of nature, overpowers the paper. It shines through it. And this
symbolism is further explored with the suggestion that ‘daylight breaks through capitals and
monoliths’. So, once again, the ‘daylight’, being a symbol of nature because it is a natural
thing, nature breaks through the man-made power.
The final line of the poem, then, reminds us of the title. Structurally it's quite interesting
because it is a single-line stanza. And if ever this happens, it's just because the poet
wants to emphasise the significance of this line- ‘turned into your skin’? Well, this
is the line, really, where human skin and tissue paper are made to link together. And
it really takes us back to the point from the title. It's a metaphor which highlights
how human power is fragile like tissue paper. If you found this video useful please do pick
up a copy of Mr Bruff’s Guide to Power and Conflict poetry, available exclusively in
eBook form and linked in the description. If you like this shorter style of analysis
video do give it a thumbs up and I will make some more!