Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Kevin Young?s "Cakewalk" is a sensuous and reflective exploration of desire, discovery, and the unexpected paths that lead to love or connection. Through its evocative metaphors and playful tone, the poem juxtaposes the mundane with the profound, crafting a narrative of yearning and revelation.

The poem begins with an intimate, almost confessional tone: "Baby, you make / me want / to burn up all / my pies." The speaker immediately frames their emotions in the context of baking, a domestic and creative act, yet the imagery of "burning" suggests both passion and the disruption of routine. The act of giving "an apple to fire" and sending "a large pecan / smokeward" evokes a sense of abandon, as if the speaker’s desire overwhelms their ability to focus on anything else. The imagery of pies and cobblers turning to smoke captures the speaker’s willingness to sacrifice comfort and tradition in the face of a newfound intensity.

The transition from the tangible imagery of baking to the abstract metaphor of the beloved as "a Canada" marks a shift in the poem?s tone. The comparison to Canada, described as "someplace north / I have been, for years, / headed & not / known it," speaks to the unexpected nature of love or discovery. Canada, a place associated with distance and coolness, becomes a metaphor for an elusive yet essential destination. The speaker’s journey toward this "Canada" reflects their subconscious longing, as if they were always moving toward the beloved without realizing it.

The line "If only I?d read / the moss on the tree! / instead of shaking / it for fruit" introduces a moment of introspection and self-awareness. The moss, a natural indicator of direction, contrasts with the act of "shaking it for fruit," which suggests impatience or shortsightedness. This imagery underscores the speaker’s recognition of their past mistakes—seeking immediate rewards rather than paying attention to the subtler signs guiding them toward something deeper. The realization that the beloved is "a found / fallen thing" captures the serendipity of their connection, as if the discovery of love was both accidental and inevitable.

The final lines, "a freedom--not this red / bloodhound ground--," deepen the poem’s themes of liberation and contrast. The term "freedom" suggests that the beloved represents a release from the constraints of the speaker’s previous experiences or expectations. The "red / bloodhound ground" evokes an image of pursuit and toil, a relentless search that contrasts with the effortless grace of finding something—or someone—that feels like freedom. This shift from struggle to ease encapsulates the transformative power of the beloved in the speaker’s life.

Young’s use of enjambment and conversational diction creates a fluid, organic rhythm that mirrors the speaker’s stream of consciousness. The informal tone and playful imagery, such as "sink some peach / cobbler," invite the reader into the speaker’s emotional world, where desire and discovery are interwoven with humor and warmth. The poem’s structure, with its deliberate shifts from the concrete to the abstract, reflects the journey of the speaker’s realization—from the immediate and physical to the profound and metaphysical.

"Cakewalk" is a testament to the surprising and transformative nature of love. Through its rich metaphors and engaging tone, Kevin Young captures the blend of humor, passion, and introspection that defines the speaker’s relationship with the beloved. The poem celebrates not only the act of finding love but also the process of recognizing and embracing it, offering a tender and relatable meditation on the unexpected paths that lead to connection and freedom.

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