Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Signs" by Lucille Clifton, the poet delves deep into the psyche of a world in disarray, employing vivid imagery and metaphor to explore the unraveling of societal norms and the consequent existential crisis. Through a series of striking vignettes, Clifton presents a landscape where the boundaries between the natural and the human-made, the rational and the instinctual, blur and dissolve, leaving individuals stranded in a liminal space of chaos and confusion.

The poem opens with a jarring image: birds walking. This departure from their usual mode of flight symbolizes a rupture in the natural order, signaling the onset of disruption. The crows, adorned in "silk tuxedos," stand as ominous sentinels in the road, observing the havoc wreaked by oncoming traffic. This juxtaposition of elegance and foreboding underscores the surreal atmosphere permeating the poem.

The mention of "the valley of dead things" conjures a haunting tableau of desolation and decay, suggesting a world ravaged by destruction. This imagery serves as a harbinger of the turmoil to come, setting a tone of unease and foreboding.

As the poem progresses, the disruption of the natural order intensifies. The geese, emblematic of migratory precision, reject the sky and perch on the highway, their disorientation palpable as they point their wings in contradictory directions. This image of avian confusion mirrors the existential crisis afflicting the human characters in the poem.

Central to the narrative is the figure of the man who emerges from his car in a state of frenzied desperation. Stripped of his garments and possessions, he stands as a stark emblem of vulnerability and raw emotion. His wild-eyed demeanor and outstretched palms bespeak a yearning for transcendence, a primal urge to flee the chaos of the world around him.

The poem's denouement—"the man almost naked almost cawing / almost lifting straining to fly"—serves as a potent synthesis of its central themes. Here, the boundaries between human and animal, sanity and madness, blur and merge, highlighting the precariousness of identity and the fragility of civilization in the face of existential crisis.

In "Signs," Clifton invites readers to confront the unsettling reality of a world in flux, where certainties crumble and chaos reigns supreme. Through her masterful use of imagery and metaphor, she crafts a narrative that transcends the literal and resonates on a profound emotional and existential level. The poem serves as a poignant meditation on the human condition, challenging us to confront the chaos within and without and to find meaning amidst the turmoil.

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