Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "The Photo of Emily," Lawrence Ferlinghetti reflects on his childhood memories of Aunt Emily, exploring her eccentric personality and the complex dynamics of family relationships. The poem is a meditation on memory, identity, and the passage of time, as well as a longing to recover what has been lost.

The poem opens with a visual description of Aunt Emily: "She wore a cloche hat / She was Aunt Emily / She spoke French / She had a job / as a French governess." This brief description establishes her as a cultured, sophisticated figure, defined by her linguistic abilities and fashion sense. The image of her wearing a cloche hat immediately situates her in the fashion of the 1920s, creating a nostalgic atmosphere.

Ferlinghetti then places Emily in a specific setting, "She stood on the bridge in Bronxville / over the Bronx River the little river / with its little woods and the little bridge / and the swimming hole and the woods / where we played Robin Hood." This idyllic scene serves as the backdrop for the poet's childhood memories, recalling a time when he saw himself as Robin Hood and dreamed of having a deerskin suit.

The narrative becomes more personal as Ferlinghetti reflects on his childhood desires: "I remember that clearly when I was eight / I stayed awake at night / thinking how to make it how to get it / I would have robbed a rich traveler / (That's how rebels are born)." This longing for adventure and identity shapes his perception of the world.

Returning to Emily, Ferlinghetti describes her in detail: "In her long lace dress and black pumps / She had elegant feet / long feet / an 'aristocrat's' she would say." Her elegance and sophistication are contrasted with her eccentricities: "She was a bit mad and compulsive / Even then I knew it / She was Catholic in a mad way." Her Catholicism is portrayed as fervent and personal, as if she had "some special connection / with the Pope."

Despite her eccentricities, Ferlinghetti saw Emily as his "French mother" because she was his mother's French sister. The family history he recounts is a mosaic of mixed cultures: "the family so mixed up / between Portugal and France / and the Virgin Islands / which was the route my mother's family took / to the United States / and Coney Island." The family's multicultural journey reflects the complexities of identity and belonging.

The poem centers on a single photograph of Emily standing on a bridge: "My French mother Emily stands on the bridge / in the old photo / in the only photo I have of her." The photograph holds sentimental value and serves as a tangible memory of her, despite its imperfections: "A dark bridge and her face in shadow / Or perhaps her face was light once / and the photo darkened." The "pearly strangeness / In the dark light" makes the photo enigmatic and haunting.

Ferlinghetti longs for the photograph to reveal more of Emily's personality: "And who took the picture / of the two of us together / arms around each other? / So silent the old picture – / If it could only speak!" The photograph is a mute witness to their relationship and the lost moments of the past.

The poem describes Emily's distinct appearance: "She had fine skin / gossamer hair / cut like Garbo / or Louise Brooks / but not so very beautiful / She had a wen on her breast." These details humanize her, adding complexity to her character. Despite her aspirations to be "a great writer," she remained "mad and elegant / thinking herself a great writer / with something to say to the world / in her shadow hat."

Emily's eccentric personality and inability to conform made it difficult for her to fulfill her desire to have a child: "She had lovers but no child / She stood by the bedside and took me." Ferlinghetti acknowledges her love but ultimately leaves her, "who ran off finally / into the dark park of those days / by the Bronx River / and sees her now / nowhere else in memory / except by that dark bridge."

The poem ends with Ferlinghetti's longing to find Emily again, imagining her "in the back of old boutiques / peered into now again / with haunting glance / in the Rue de Seine." His desire to recover the lost photograph and reconnect with her speaks to the power of memory and the enduring impact of family ties.

"The Photo of Emily" is a tender and melancholic tribute to a woman who embodied both madness and elegance. Through rich imagery and personal reflections, Ferlinghetti paints a vivid portrait of Emily while exploring themes of family, memory, and the passage of time. The poem ultimately becomes a meditation on the way we remember and idealize those we've lost, as well as the deep longing to reclaim the past.

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