Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Lawrence Ferlinghetti's poem "The 'Moving Waters' of Gustav Klimt" explores the mystery and allure of the women depicted in Gustav Klimt's painting. The poem blends sensual imagery with themes of self-discovery and intimacy, capturing the dreamlike and enigmatic qualities of Klimt's art. Ferlinghetti’s language evokes the visual richness of the painting while offering a meditation on identity, desire, and recognition.

The poem begins with the question: "Who are they then / these women in this painting / seen so deeply long ago." The inquiry invites the reader to reflect on the identities of the women portrayed in Klimt's work. Ferlinghetti wonders if they were "Models he slept with / or lovers or others / he came upon / catching them as they were / back then." These lines establish a personal connection between the artist and his subjects, suggesting that Klimt captured them in unguarded, intimate moments.

Ferlinghetti describes the women as "dreamt sleepers / on moving waters / eyes wide open / purple hair streaming / over alabaster bodies / in lavender currents." The vivid imagery evokes a surreal, fluid world where the women appear both awake and dreaming, their hair and bodies blending harmoniously with the water. The use of "lavender currents" adds a sense of tranquility and elegance.

The poem continues with further descriptions of the women: "Dark skein of hair blown back / from a darkened face / an arm flung out / a mouth half open." This imagery conveys movement and spontaneity, as if the women are caught in a moment of rapture. Ferlinghetti notes "a hand / cupping its own breast," suggesting both vulnerability and self-awareness. These women are "rapt dreamers / or stoned realists / drifting motionless," blending fantasy and reality in a single frame.

The poem then delves into the possible relationships and desires of the women, describing them as "lost sisters or / women-in-love / with themselves or others." Ferlinghetti portrays them as "pale bodies wrapt / in the night of women / lapt in light / in ground swells of / dreamt desire / dreamt delight." The repetition of "dreamt" emphasizes the ethereal quality of the women's desires, which seem to exist in a liminal space between reality and imagination.

Despite the mystery surrounding their identities, Ferlinghetti notes that the women remain "Still strangers to us / yet not / strangers." They embody a universal sense of intimacy that transcends time and space, representing "that first night / in which we lose ourselves / And know each other." This final reflection highlights the paradox of intimacy and unfamiliarity, where people can find recognition and connection in each other's deepest dreams and desires.

In "The 'Moving Waters' of Gustav Klimt," Ferlinghetti creates a lyrical exploration of Klimt's art, using sensual language and rich imagery to convey the mystery and allure of the women depicted. The poem meditates on identity, desire, and intimacy while celebrating the timeless beauty and fluidity of Klimt's visual world. Ultimately, Ferlinghetti invites the reader to lose themselves in the painting's moving waters and discover a shared sense of recognition and connection.

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