Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Alice Fulton's "My Diamond Stud" is a vivid, sensual exploration of desire, fantasy, and the allure of danger. Through rich and playful imagery, Fulton crafts a narrative that intertwines the thrilling and the intimate, presenting a relationship that is both fantastical and deeply visceral.

The poem opens with the speaker imagining her ideal lover as a "former cat burglar," immediately setting a tone of intrigue and excitement. This lover is someone who has a past filled with daring and illegal activities, suggesting a life lived on the edge. The speaker's possession of "baubles to lose" indicates that she is someone of wealth and status, making her a fitting target for such a character. The black carnation, a symbol of dark beauty and perhaps danger, is tossed with a sense of inevitability—whether heads or stems, the outcome is the same: the lover will take her.

The setting of their meeting is a "roller-rink," an unexpected and whimsical choice that adds to the poem's playful tone. The lover, described as a "diamond stud," approaches her with sparks flying, a visual metaphor for the chemistry and excitement between them. His introduction, "Ecoutez bé-bé," combines French and English, adding a touch of sophistication and seduction. He claims to be a member of a "famous folded trapeze act," further emphasizing his agility and the sense of spectacle he brings into her life.

The lover's "jeweler’s eye" on her gold fillings is a clever metaphor for his ability to see through her facade and recognize her true desires. The imagery of him "whipping / me with flowers" and his fingers being "grosgrain / sanded smooth, raw / to my every move" conveys a mix of tenderness and intensity, highlighting the physical and emotional connection between them.

Their imagined tryst takes them to "travel-folder heaven," a place of idealized romance and luxury. The act of "buff-puff[ing] each other’s / calluses in valentine tubs" symbolizes mutual care and indulgence, blending the erotic with the tender. The lover's ability to "swindle the black heart / between my thighs" suggests a deep, almost predatory knowledge of her most intimate desires, while dressing her in "ultra- / suede sheaths" and himself in leather speaks to their shared appreciation for luxury and sensuality.

The distinction between naugahyde and leather is significant; while naugahyde is a synthetic material, leather is real, once-living skin. The lover's insistence on "leather" emphasizes his preference for authenticity and the raw, visceral connection he seeks. This choice underscores the theme of genuine, lived experience versus artificiality.

In "My Diamond Stud," Alice Fulton creates a rich tapestry of fantasy and desire, blending elements of danger, romance, and sensuality. The poem's playful yet intense imagery captures the thrill of an imagined relationship that defies convention and embraces the allure of the forbidden. Through this narrative, Fulton invites readers to explore the depths of their own desires and the complex interplay between fantasy and reality.

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