Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Derek Walcott’s "Midsummer: 5" presents a vivid, complex snapshot of urban life in midsummer, capturing the tensions between natural and artificial environments, cultural assimilation, and the class divisions that shape the modern metropolis. The poem juxtaposes heat, sweat, and decay with the cold sterility of air-conditioning and refrigerators, using rich sensory imagery to evoke the discomfort and disillusionment of city life. At its heart, the poem explores the contradictions of democracy, immigration, and the price of progress in an ever-evolving urban landscape.

The poem begins with an image of the "hemispheres" lying "sweating, flesh to flesh, on a damp bed," a powerful metaphor for the connection between different parts of the world. The "hemispheres" could symbolize both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, as well as the rich and poor, the privileged and marginalized, all forced to coexist in a world where boundaries blur and merge in the oppressive heat of midsummer. The "damp bed" hints at a sense of unease, discomfort, and perhaps even exhaustion, as the world’s tensions—social, political, and environmental—intensify under the weight of midsummer.

The "far ocean" grinding "in waves of air-conditioning" contrasts the natural world with the artificial, suggesting that even the ocean’s presence is mediated through technology. The reference to air-conditioning highlights the way modern conveniences separate people from the natural world, cooling them from the oppressive heat but also alienating them from the earth’s rhythms. The air is described as being "scaled like a fish," leaving "dry salt on the hands," an image that evokes the sea but also hints at decay and disillusionment. The salt left behind is a reminder of the ocean, but it’s a sterile, lifeless remnant, much like the artificial environments created by air-conditioning and refrigerators.

The poem’s focus shifts to New York City, specifically Fourteenth Street, where the "Big Apple" is transformed into a "mango," an exoticized version of itself. This image reflects the cultural diversity of the city and the way immigrants reshape urban spaces, turning it into something new and vibrant. The "hucksters with cardboard luggage" suggest the presence of newcomers—immigrants or the poor—who bring with them the hope of a better life but must navigate a harsh and unwelcoming environment. The peeling advertisements, a symbol of the city’s decay, contrast with the vibrant cultural influences of "reggae and salsa," which give life to the "dazed high-rises." This juxtaposition captures the simultaneous vitality and disrepair of the city.

Walcott deftly addresses the complexities of cultural assimilation with the line "democracy’s price is two steps forward and three steps back." The "Aztec tango of assimilation" underscores the difficulty of integrating into a system that promises equality but often falls short. The Aztec reference invokes a history of colonization and violence, suggesting that assimilation is not just a dance but a struggle with deep-rooted historical and social implications. The "barrio," a predominantly Latino neighborhood, represents the marginalized spaces where immigrants are often confined, despite the promises of democracy.

The poem’s focus then shifts to the wealthy, as "on Fridays, an exodus crawls to the Hamptons." This weekly escape of the affluent to the seaside retreats of Montauk and Amagansett contrasts sharply with the grime and decay of the city. The image of "spit dries on the lips of the curb, and sweat makes the furniture float away in islands" captures the harsh realities of life in the urban heat, where the poor are left behind as the wealthy seek refuge. The idea of furniture "floating away in islands" suggests both the detachment of the affluent from the struggles of the city and the literal disintegration of the urban landscape in the oppressive heat.

The speaker imagines walking "the breezy scrub dunes from Montauk to Amagansett," evoking a sense of freedom and escape from the city’s dirt and decay. However, this escape is contrasted with the city, where "the salt of the earth turns into dirt." This line suggests a loss of purity and goodness, as the "salt of the earth" (often a biblical reference to the virtuous and humble) becomes corrupted by the harsh realities of urban life. The "dusty travel windows" through which people view "umbrellas that they cannot go back to" evoke a sense of longing for something unattainable—perhaps a simpler life or a lost sense of innocence.

The poem turns darker as it delves into the world of crime and addiction: "Rats, biting the hands that fed them" and "the drugged dance of dealers" suggest the breakdown of community and the destructive forces at play in the city. The dealers, "remote-controlled by a Walkman," reflect a dehumanizing, mechanical aspect of this world, where even the rhythms of crime are dictated by external forces. The appearance of Jesus "propositioning" a man in a seersucker suit—likely a symbol of wealth and respectability—highlights the stark contrast between the city’s haves and have-nots, as well as the loss of faith in a place where survival takes precedence over spirituality.

In the closing lines, an Irish cop rolls his bullets "like beads," a chilling image that conflates violence with prayer, as if the act of policing and enforcing order in the city is itself a kind of ritual. The cop is "glued to his own transistor," further emphasizing the disconnection and alienation that permeate the poem. Technology, instead of bringing people together, isolates them in their own worlds.

Walcott’s "Midsummer: 5" is a powerful commentary on the contradictions and complexities of urban life, particularly in the context of migration, class, and cultural assimilation. Through vivid, often unsettling imagery, the poem captures the disorientation, alienation, and decay that define the modern metropolis, while also acknowledging the vitality and resilience of those who inhabit it. The poem’s shifting perspectives—from the natural to the artificial, from the affluent to the marginalized—create a layered, multifaceted portrait of a city and a world grappling with the tensions of progress, identity, and survival.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...