Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Photo of the Author with a Favorite Pig," William Matthews juxtaposes the persona of a writer with that of a pig, using the comparison to explore themes of authenticity, expression, and perception. The poem opens with a striking image: the pig's snout, likened to "a huge button" or "an almost clean plate," serves as a focal point, immediately setting the tone for the contrast between the animal and the author.

The pig is described as appearing candid, a stark contrast to the author who "has a way with words." This distinction highlights the pig's straightforward, unpretentious nature, juxtaposed with the author's complex, perhaps guarded persona. Matthews employs the metaphor of the pig as "squat / and foursquare as a bathtub," emphasizing its grounded, unembellished existence. The pig's squint is described as "frank," suggesting an honest, unfiltered gaze that contrasts with the calculated expression of the author.

The poem then delves into the pig's silent existence, characterized by the phrase "Nobody knows / the trouble it’s seen," which alludes to the well-known spiritual song, underscoring the pig's unspoken burdens and experiences. The pig, described as a "rained-out / pork roast," embodies a mix of humor and pathos, a creature often reduced to a culinary fate yet possessing a life of its own. Matthews playfully refers to the pig's "corpulent jokes" and "body of work," using puns to highlight the pig's physicality and the author's literary output. The humor here serves to lighten the tone while also subtly critiquing how animals, like the pig, are often viewed solely in terms of their utility to humans.

In contrast, the author is depicted as "skinny and looks serious," embodying the stereotypical image of a thoughtful, perhaps introspective writer. The question "what will he say next?" suggests an expectation of profound or clever utterances, underscoring the author's role as a communicator and a crafter of language. This expectation contrasts with the pig's silent presence, which, despite its apparent knowingness, does not communicate in words.

The poem's conclusion focuses on the pig's "pert, coiled tail" and "wispy tips / of his edible ears," emphasizing the physical, almost whimsical aspects of the animal. Yet, despite the pig's seemingly knowing expression, "the pig isn’t telling." This final line underscores the ineffable nature of the pig's existence, contrasting the expressive, word-dependent life of the author. The pig embodies a kind of quiet wisdom or knowledge that remains inaccessible, a silent counterpart to the author's verbose nature.

Through this comparison, Matthews explores the limitations of language and expression. The pig, unspeaking and seemingly simple, contrasts with the complex, communicative world of the author. This dichotomy raises questions about authenticity, the limits of verbal expression, and the different ways beings can "know" and "experience" the world. The pig's candidness and the author's seriousness suggest that while words can convey much, they also conceal, and there are truths that remain unsaid or beyond the reach of language.

"Photo of the Author with a Favorite Pig" thus becomes a meditation on the nature of communication and the different ways of being in the world. Matthews captures the essence of the pig's silent knowledge and the author's articulate existence, leaving the reader to ponder the silent wisdom that lies beyond the realm of words. The poem's humor and reflective tone make it a poignant commentary on the human condition, the limits of language, and the often-overlooked profundity in the simplest of beings.

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