Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Peanut Butter," Eileen Myles encapsulates the myriad complexities of love, life, and human desires. As with many of Myles' works, the poem forgoes traditional structure and punctuation, opting instead for a free verse style that matches the ebb and flow of the speaker's thoughts and emotions. This seemingly erratic format acts as a tool to unravel the intricacies of love, in a way that's both deeply personal and universally relatable.

The opening lines are startlingly candid: "I am always hungry / & wanting to have / sex. This is a fact." This openness sets the stage for an exploration of human needs-physical, emotional, and spiritual. The poem goes on to discuss everything from the quality of peanut butter to the essence of life and love, tied together with a seamless stream of consciousness that turns seemingly unrelated thoughts into a cohesive narrative.

Myles juxtaposes mundane details ("When the water / boils I get / a cup of tea") with profound insights ("I write because / I would like / to be used for / years after / my death"). This technique reflects the duality inherent in life itself, where simple acts and monumental thoughts coexist. Through this juxtaposition, the speaker emphasizes that the quotidian can carry as much weight as the sublime in shaping our experiences and relationships.

There is also an embrace of imperfections and contradictions. For instance, the speaker says, "I am an enemy / of change, as / you know," but their very nature and the free flow of the poem indicate a person in flux, subject to various desires and influences. This complex relationship with change subtly showcases the complexities of human nature.

The beauty of this poem is accentuated by its straightforwardness in discussing love. It's not just a romantic or sexual love but a holistic one: "Parts / of your / body I think / of as stripes / which I have / learned to / love along." The speaker cherishes not just the person they're with, but the very act of being with them. Love, here, is not a means to an end but an end in itself: "not intended / to get you / because I have / you & you love / me."

This theme of acceptance and contentment is reinforced in the lines, "why shouldn't / something / I have always / known be the / very best there / is." The speaker finds solace in the familiar, in the simple yet profound act of loving and being loved. There is a sense of timelessness in this love, as it stretches "from my / childhood," yet each moment is also novel, "a tiny step / in the vastly / conventional / path of / the Sun."

The poem culminates in the simple yet poignant statement, "I / squint. I / wink. I / take the / ride." Like life itself, love is a journey with its ups and downs, but it is a ride worth taking. With its intricate tapestry of thoughts and feelings, "Peanut Butter" by Eileen Myles serves as a compelling meditation on the complexities and simplicities of human desire and connection. It's a work that invites readers to examine their own relationships, to find beauty in the mundane, and to appreciate the extraordinary in the ordinary.

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