Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Literary Note" by Hayden Carruth is a light-hearted and playful poem that pays homage to the anapestic meter, a poetic meter characterized by two short (or unstressed) syllables followed by one long (or stressed) syllable (da-da-DUM). The poem humorously laments a time when the anapestic meter was overly popular, to the point of exasperation among listeners and readers.

The poem opens by setting a scene in a time when the anapestic meter "ruled supreme," immediately immersing the reader in a world dominated by this rhythmic pattern. Carruth's choice of the word "moderate clime" subtly suggests that the prevalence of the anapest was not confined to any particular physical geography but was a widespread phenomenon in the landscape of poetry.

The second line humorously notes that many individuals "who would babble in rhyme" adopted this meter extensively, implying a sense of monotony and overuse that made the audience want to "scream." This exaggeration captures the poet's playful critique of the anapest's dominance and the potential for any poetic form to become tiresome if not employed with moderation and creativity.

In a meta-poetic turn, the poem itself is written in anapestic meter, demonstrating Carruth's skillful command of the form he critiques. This self-aware use of anapest serves to both illustrate the meter's appeal and to underscore the poem's humorous complaint about its overuse.

The final stanza shifts away from the poem to comment on a book by Carruth titled "Doctor Jazz," critiquing the absence of a jazz-like rhythm in the poems and the misleading title. This critique humorously suggests an alternative title that reflects the author's right to express dissatisfaction or "gripe" due to his advanced age. This playful self-criticism further highlights Carruth's ability to engage with his own work and the conventions of poetry with wit and self-reflection.

"Literary Note" showcases Carruth's linguistic dexterity and his capacity to engage with poetic forms in a manner that is both critically insightful and humorously self-deprecating. Through this brief poem, Carruth invites readers to reflect on the importance of variety and innovation in poetic expression, all the while demonstrating his own adeptness at navigating and subverting traditional poetic meters.

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