Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Ideographs" by Sharon Olds presents a stark and haunting image of two men awaiting execution in early 20th century China. The poem, grounded in a photograph from 1905, uses vivid description and metaphor to explore themes of suffering, vulnerability, and the human plea for salvation. Through the use of powerful imagery, Olds captures the intense moment of stillness before a tragic and inevitable outcome.

The poem begins with a description of "small scaffolds, boards in the form of ideographs," immediately setting a scene that blends cultural symbolism with the harsh reality of execution. The ideographs, typically representing concepts through characters, are here embodied in the form of execution devices, "the size of a person," suggesting a dehumanizing equivalence between the individual and the abstract. This blending of the human form with written symbols creates a poignant commentary on the reduction of human life to mere objects or symbols within the context of capital punishment.

One of the men is depicted asleep, "his arms nailed to the wood," with his fingertips curling in "as a child's hands will open in sleep." This tender image juxtaposes the innocence and helplessness of sleep with the brutal reality of his situation. The scaffold, simple in shape like a man, underscores the minimalist and utilitarian approach to his impending execution. The sleeping man represents a moment of unconscious respite, a temporary escape from the horror of his reality, yet his position is already a precursor to death.

The second man is awake and looks directly at the observer, creating an immediate and uncomfortable connection. Unlike the first, his scaffold is more complex, with a "diagonal cross-piece" positioning his arms and legs in a manner reminiscent of flight or crucifixion. His body is described in detail, with "spikes through his ankles" holding his legs off the ground and his "knees cocked," evoking an image of suspended agony. The folds of his robe "flowing sideways" add a surreal quality to the scene, as if he is caught in mid-motion, further emphasizing the tension between life and death.

The narrative conveys that these men are "awaiting execution," and they are described as being "tilted against the wall as you'd prop up a tool until you needed it." This comparison to tools not only dehumanizes the men but also highlights their expendability and the mechanistic nature of the execution process. The indifferent description of their situation as part of a routine procedure underscores the grim normalcy of such acts of violence.

Olds describes a moment of impending action, where the men "will be shouldered up over the crowd and carried through the screaming." The future tense anticipates the horror to come, the public spectacle of execution. The "sleeper will wake," and the "twisted one will fly above the faces," vividly portrays the transition from the quiet before the storm to the chaos of the public event. The imagery of flying, with "his garment rippling," conveys a disturbing grace, as if the act of execution transforms the condemned into a macabre spectacle.

In the final lines, the poem returns to the present moment, capturing the "backstage quiet" and the "dark at the bottom of the wall." The description of the props leaning in the "grainy half-dusk" reinforces the sense of a theatrical production, where the men are mere actors awaiting their final scene. The awake man's direct gaze and silent plea—"Save me, there is still time"—invokes a deep sense of empathy and urgency. His awareness and desperation starkly contrast with the inevitability of his fate, highlighting the brutal reality of his helplessness.

"Ideographs" is a powerful meditation on the nature of suffering and the human condition in the face of state-sanctioned violence. Sharon Olds' evocative language and detailed imagery create a poignant portrayal of the condemned men, capturing both the physicality of their situation and the profound emotional weight of their impending deaths. The poem serves as a stark reminder of the individual lives behind the statistics and the impersonal machinery of execution, urging readers to acknowledge the humanity in every victim of such brutal acts.

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