Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Blues" by Sonia Sanchez captures the raw, emotional intensity of longing and desire through the lens of a blues narrative. The poem's rhythm and structure echo the traditional blues format, with repetitive lines and a lyrical, musical quality that emphasizes the speaker's feelings of yearning and frustration. The poem deals with themes of unfulfilled desire, loneliness, and the lengths one might go to satisfy deep emotional needs.

The speaker begins by expressing a strong infatuation with a "twenty yr old weekends," a phrase that suggests a fleeting, perhaps casual relationship that only comes alive on weekends. The repetition of "dig him way down until he's glad" and "until he's dry" indicates a deep emotional and possibly physical engagement, seeking satisfaction and completeness. The use of "badddddd" with an elongated 'd' emphasizes the depth of feeling and the impact this desire has had on the speaker, pushing them towards behaviors they might not typically embrace.

The second stanza describes the speaker's anticipation and disappointment: "watched for you each evening / stood right outside my do / but you never came in." This image portrays a sense of waiting and longing, highlighting the speaker's hope and vulnerability. The use of "do" instead of "door" adds a colloquial touch, grounding the poem in the vernacular language typical of blues music. The speaker's inability to "stand still no more" conveys a restless energy and frustration, driven by unmet desires.

In the third stanza, the speaker asks rhetorical questions: "what do you do when you need / a man so much it hurt?" and "where do you go when you need / a man so much it hurt?" These questions emphasize the intensity of the speaker's longing, suggesting that the need is almost unbearable. The answer, "you make it down to the corner / and start digging in the dirt," can be interpreted as a metaphor for seeking solace or distraction in less fulfilling activities or perhaps engaging in other relationships to cope with the pain of unfulfilled love.

The repetition of the initial stanza's lines at the poem's end reinforces the cyclical nature of the speaker's emotions and actions. The phrase "dig him way down until he's dry" suggests an exhaustive pursuit of satisfaction, leaving both the speaker and the object of affection drained. The final lines, "you see what my needing you / has done gone and made me try," repeat with slight variation, underscoring the transformative and sometimes destructive power of desire. The use of "try" suggests that the speaker's actions, driven by need, are efforts to achieve something, whether it's love, connection, or simply an escape from loneliness.

"Blues" by Sonia Sanchez effectively uses the blues genre's traditional elements—repetition, musicality, and a focus on emotional pain—to explore themes of longing and unrequited desire. The poem captures the speaker's deep emotional turmoil and the ways in which intense need can lead to a loss of self-control or a departure from one's usual behavior. Sanchez's portrayal of this experience is both poignant and evocative, resonating with the universal human experience of yearning for something just out of reach.

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