Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Homage to Emerson, on Night Flight to New York: 2. The Wart" by Robert Penn Warren continues the exploration of memory and identity introduced in the first poem, contrasting lofty abstractions with grounded, personal recollections. This poem shifts from the philosophical reflections on Emerson's transcendentalism to a more tangible, intimate memory from the speaker's past, providing a counterbalance to the earlier meditation on ideals.

At the start, the poem suggests that at the high altitude of 38,000 feet, amidst the vastness and abstraction of flight, one needs to anchor oneself in something concrete to maintain a sense of identity. "You had better / Try to remember something specific, if / You yourself want to be something specific," implies that personal memories and specific experiences are essential to grounding one's sense of self, especially in an environment as removed and abstract as a pressurized airplane cabin.

The speaker recalls an encounter with an "old colored man" who comments on a wart the speaker had as a boy. The man offers a piece of folk wisdom, implying a connection between the wart and masturbation, using the euphemistic "jack-off." His language is colloquial and familiar, adding a layer of humor and earthiness to the poem. This interaction is a stark contrast to the ethereal and lofty nature of Emerson’s ideals discussed in the first poem. Here, the physicality of the body and the candid, everyday speech of the old man ground the poem in a lived reality.

The old man's advice is delivered with a mixture of humor and frankness, as he giggles and refers to the speaker's "white skin and hair red as a ter-mater," likening the speaker’s red hair to a tomato. This comparison brings a touch of playfulness and humanity, emphasizing the commonality between individuals regardless of superficial differences. The man reminds the speaker, "You is human-kind," reinforcing a shared human experience that transcends race, age, and the barriers created by society.

However, the poem returns to the present moment at 38,000 feet, where the speaker finds it difficult to remember this sense of shared humanity and specificity. The line, "At 38,000 feet that is hard to remember," encapsulates the challenge of holding onto concrete experiences and personal identity in the face of abstract thought and the dehumanizing aspects of modern life, symbolized by the altitude and the act of flying.

This poem emphasizes the need for specific memories and tangible experiences to ground one's identity in a world that often seems disconnected and abstract. In juxtaposing the recollection of a simple, human interaction with the lofty, detached perspective of flight, Warren suggests that while transcendental ideas and philosophical reflections have their place, it is the particularities of life—the warts and the wisdom of ordinary people—that truly define and sustain us.

The wart, a seemingly trivial physical detail, becomes a symbol of the concrete, the personal, and the unique aspects of our lives that keep us grounded and human. Through this shift from the cosmic to the corporeal, Warren critiques the limitations of transcendental philosophy by underscoring the importance of the specific and the immediate in shaping our understanding of self and our connection to the world.

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