Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

John Wieners' "A Poem for Record Players" captures a fleeting, introspective moment and elevates it into a meditation on sound, presence, and the intimate relationship between the self and the world. Wieners transforms the mundane into a symphony, weaving the hum of life into a tapestry of auditory sensations, while exploring themes of control, divinity, and human experience.

The poem begins with a shift: “The scene changes.” This declaration sets the stage for the speaker’s entry into a room marked by stillness, interrupted only by the ticking of a clock. The setting feels timeless and personal, as though the speaker has entered a liminal space, a moment where life pauses and allows for reflection. The act of muffling sounds with a pillow hints at a desire to isolate, to focus inward while grappling with external noise. This creates tension between the inner world and the relentless presence of the outer.

The phrase “I am engaged in taking away / from God his sound” is striking, suggesting a rebellious act of wresting control over the auditory world. Here, sound is divine, omnipresent, and uncontrollable, yet the speaker boldly claims agency over it. This moment introduces a tension between human fragility and a yearning for power, as the speaker attempts to capture, perhaps even master, the ephemeral sounds of existence.

Wieners meticulously catalogs the details of this auditory experience: “The pigeons somewhere / above me, the cough / a man makes down the hall, / the flap of wings / below me.” These observations are intimate and specific, grounding the poem in the physical world while underscoring the speaker’s acute sensitivity. The “scratches I itch / on my scalp” and “the landing / of birds under the bay / window” add layers of texture, illustrating how even the most inconsequential sounds contribute to the symphony of the speaker’s environment. This catalog of sound emphasizes the interconnectedness of the self with the surrounding world.

Despite the specificity of the sounds, Wieners imbues them with a universality, transforming “dull details” into something profound. The speaker acknowledges their inability to fully convey these sensations—*“I can only describe to you”—*yet affirms their lasting impact: “but which are here and / I hear and shall never / give up again.” This moment highlights the tension between ephemeral experience and the permanence of memory. The speaker resolves to carry these sounds with them, as though they form an essential part of their identity.

The closing lines elevate the everyday into something transcendent. The invocation—*“oh clack your / metal wings, god”—*merges the divine with the mechanical, as the speaker claims ownership over the chaos of modern life: “I have you by the ears.” The imagery of “the exhaust pipes of / a thousand cars” ties the divine to the industrial, blending nature, humanity, and technology into a single, pulsating entity. This audacious claim—dominion over the divine through the noises of the city—reaffirms the speaker’s commitment to presence and to finding meaning in the everyday.

"A Poem for Record Players" is a celebration of the auditory world and its power to anchor and define human experience. Wieners’ meticulous attention to sound creates an immersive atmosphere, drawing readers into the speaker’s heightened awareness. At its heart, the poem explores the tension between the fleeting nature of life and the human desire to preserve, control, and find meaning in the ephemeral. By transforming ordinary sounds into an intimate symphony, Wieners affirms the profound beauty of existence and the enduring significance of even the smallest details.

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