Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Paul Muldoon's poem "Cuba" captures a moment of intense domestic tension and intertwines it with the global anxiety of the Cuban Missile Crisis, reflecting the personal and political fears that ripple through a family during a time of international uncertainty. Through its direct and conversational language, the poem explores themes of authority, sin, and the blurred boundaries between public and private anxieties.

The poem begins with the speaker’s eldest sister returning home in the early morning, wearing a "white muslin evening dress." The innocence and purity typically associated with the color white and the delicacy of muslin contrast sharply with the father's anger and the broader context of global turmoil. The father’s reaction is immediate and harsh: "‘Who the hell do you think you are / Running out to dances in next to nothing?" His anger is not just about her attire or behavior but is also exacerbated by the stress of the larger political situation—"the world at war, if not at an end."

The father's pounding of the breakfast table symbolizes his frustration and powerlessness, both in his personal life and in the face of world events. His reference to "those Yankees" and General Patton in Armagh hints at the historical tensions between Ireland and the United States, while his remark about Kennedy, "nearly an Irishman," reflects the ambivalence many Irish people felt about American influence. Kennedy, despite his Irish roots, is still seen as a potential threat, "with only to say the word" to bring about catastrophe. The father’s words, "If you’ve got anything on your mind / Maybe you should make your peace with God," serve as both a reprimand to his daughter and a reflection of his own fear of the impending doom.

In the latter part of the poem, the focus shifts to a scene of confession, with May, presumably the speaker’s sister, confessing her sins from behind a curtain. Her confession is minimal—"I told a lie once, I was disobedient once"—but it takes a darker turn when she admits, "And, Father, a boy touched me once." The priest's probing question, "Was this touch immodest? / Did he touch your breasts, for example?" highlights the invasive nature of confession and the power dynamics at play. May’s response, "He brushed against me, Father. Very gently," adds to the complexity, as it suggests an innocent or perhaps even tender moment that is being scrutinized and potentially condemned.

The poem juxtaposes the trivial and the monumental, the personal and the political. The father’s wrath and the priest’s interrogation both reflect a world on edge, where even the smallest actions are charged with moral and existential weight. The title "Cuba" evokes the Cuban Missile Crisis, a moment when the world teetered on the brink of nuclear war, and this external crisis mirrors the internal crises within the family, where the lines between protection and control, sin and innocence, are blurred.

Muldoon’s "Cuba" is a poignant reflection on how global events seep into the intimate spaces of family life, heightening tensions and exposing vulnerabilities. The poem captures the way in which individuals, especially within a family, grapple with their fears and anxieties in the face of both personal and global threats. The restrained, almost conversational tone of the poem belies the deep undercurrents of fear and uncertainty that run through it, making it a powerful commentary on the intersections of the personal and the political.

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