Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

William Matthews' poem "Old Folsom Prison" paints a vivid picture of a moment in the storied history of Folsom Prison, famously immortalized by Johnny Cash's live performance there. Matthews begins with a striking juxtaposition, likening the scene to a crag in Scotland, replete with imagery of a wild landscape where one might expect to find a stag, a laird, and baying hounds. This pastoral image is sharply contrasted with the grim reality of the prison, referred to as "Hotel California," an ironic nod to the Eagles' song, which speaks of a place where one can check out but never leave—aptly describing the prisoners' situation.

The poem then shifts to the day Johnny Cash performed in the prison's Graystone Chapel. Matthews captures the event with a blend of reverence and raw observation, noting how Cash's music drew an intense emotional response from the inmates. The phrase "blue, disconsolate congregation" powerfully conveys the sorrow and hopelessness that pervades the audience, which is momentarily transformed by Cash's performance. The comparison of the inmates' response to blood being drawn evokes the release of pent-up emotions, a catharsis for those who are otherwise confined physically and emotionally.

Matthews does not shy away from listing the crimes of those present—rapists, arsonists, a man convicted of multiple life sentences for vehicular homicide, murderers, armed robbers, and drug dealers. The mention of these crimes serves to underline the severity of their offenses and the gravity of their sentences. However, it also humanizes them, presenting them as a diverse group of individuals who, despite their heinous acts, respond to music's universal language.

The climax of the poem comes when Cash sings the infamous line, "I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die," from his song "Folsom Prison Blues." This line elicits an overwhelmingly powerful reaction from the inmates, described as a shout rising "like so many crows." The imagery of crows is significant—it conjures associations with death and foreboding, while also suggesting a sense of unity among the prisoners, who share a common bond in their confinement and alienation from society. The line captures the complexity of their emotions, a mixture of identification with the singer's rebellious persona and a visceral recognition of their own dark realities.

Matthews' use of enjambment throughout the poem, allowing sentences to flow over multiple lines, mirrors the uncontained emotions of the inmates and the fluidity of music as a medium that transcends the walls of the prison. The poem's structure, devoid of traditional stanzas, contributes to a sense of continuity and inevitability, reflecting the unbroken and unbreakable nature of the inmates' sentences.

"Old Folsom Prison" is a poignant reflection on the power of music to reach even the most disenfranchised and marginalized. Matthews captures the dual nature of the inmates' experience—caught between their crimes and the fleeting moments of humanity and hope that Cash's music offers. The poem serves as a reminder of the enduring capacity of art to connect and uplift, even in the most despairing circumstances. Through his evocative language and vivid imagery, Matthews not only pays homage to Cash's legendary performance but also provides a nuanced portrayal of the prisoners' complex inner lives.

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