Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Insomnia the Gem of the Ocean" by John Updike humorously captures the experience of sleeplessness, specifically on a waterbed. The poem combines vivid imagery with playful language to explore the restless, often tumultuous feeling of trying to sleep on such an unsteady surface, likening it to a nautical adventure.

Updike starts the poem by personifying the waterbed, giving it the voice that says, “Gurgle gleep,” immediately setting a light-hearted tone. This sound effect not only introduces the bed's character but also hints at the speaker's impending struggle. When the speaker tries to adjust his position, the bed responds with a “tidal wave,” a dramatic reaction that humorously exaggerates the movements of the waterbed. This wave is so strong that it lifts him "like a bark canoe / Adrift in breakers off Peru," using hyperbole to emphasize the bed's instability and the speaker's helplessness.

The poem continues with clever wordplay and aquatic metaphors, describing the waterbed as the “neap to my spring, ebb to my flow,” creatively using oceanic terms to describe the dynamic interaction between the speaker and the bed. The bed “turns my pulse to undertow” and “turns my thoughts to bubbles,” suggesting how deeply the bed's movements affect him, both physically and mentally. This imagery conveys a sense of being pulled underwater by currents, overwhelmed and submerged by the bed's responses.

The line "Still undulates when I would quit" encapsulates the essence of insomnia—the bed continues to move just as the speaker's mind continues to race, even when he desperately wants both to be still. The comparison of the speaker and the bed as "two bags of water" further emphasizes their intertwined, yet uneasy relationship, highlighting their shared fluidity and the constant motion that keeps him awake.

The final aside, "(I’m going back to bed)" serves as a humorous, resigned conclusion. It reflects a moment of surrender, acknowledging that despite the discomfort and the absurdity of the situation, the speaker has no other choice but to attempt to sleep again. This adds a relatable layer to the poem, as many with insomnia will recognize the frustrating cycle of leaving the bed only to return in hopes of finding sleep.

Overall, "Insomnia the Gem of the Ocean" uses playful language and imaginative metaphors to convey the exasperation and comic absurdity often found in sleepless nights, especially those spent battling the unpredictable movements of a waterbed. Updike's creative approach turns the ordeal of insomnia into an entertaining narrative that captures the physical and mental disruptions it causes.

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