Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Lawrence Ferlinghetti's poem "The Flower Seller at Covent Garden 1989" captures a vivid snapshot of a timeless character in a historic London setting. The poem pays homage to the enduring spirit of London's street vendors, connecting the past to the present through a lineage traced back to Hogarth’s "Shrimp Girl," a painting which embodies the vitality of London's street folk.

The poem opens by establishing this historical connection:

"A great great great granddaughter / of Hogarth’s Shrimp Girl / the flower seller at Covent Garden / singing out in a voice / straight out of Shakespeare." Here, Ferlinghetti links the flower seller to the artistic and cultural heritage of London, suggesting that the vibrancy and character of Hogarth’s 18th-century London persist in the modern-day flower seller. The reference to Shakespeare further deepens this connection to England's rich literary and cultural history, implying that the flower seller's voice carries the timeless qualities of the country’s great artistic traditions.

Ferlinghetti describes the flower seller with vivid imagery:

"Fair and buxom / skin like milk / fishwife cap / and flowers in her hair." This description paints a picture of a woman who is both a part of the city's bustling market scene and a figure out of a classical painting or a play, timeless in her beauty and occupation. Her appearance, with "skin like milk" and "flowers in her hair," evokes a natural, almost pastoral beauty amidst the urban backdrop of Covent Garden.

The energy and liveliness of the flower seller are conveyed through her actions:

"She tosses back her head / with piercing cries / her sweet high voice singing out / like a songbird swooping / over the madding crowd." Ferlinghetti captures the dynamism of the flower seller, likening her voice to a songbird, which not only emphasizes her melodious calls but also her ability to rise above the chaos of the crowd—metaphorically elevating her presence in the busy market.

Through this brief but evocative poem, Ferlinghetti does more than just sketch a portrait of a flower seller; he connects the reader to the long tradition of street vendors who have populated London's markets for centuries. The poem celebrates the continuity and change of urban life, where modern figures live and work in settings charged with historical and literary significance. In "The Flower Seller at Covent Garden 1989," Ferlinghetti captures the essence of London's enduring vibrancy, where the past and present mingle in the lively exchanges of its colorful inhabitants.

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