Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Film Noir (The Set-Up)" by Kevin Young is a masterful poem that draws heavily from the tropes of film noir, a genre of cinematic crime dramas especially popular in the 1940s and 1950s. The poem serves as an atmospheric narrative, replete with gritty detectives, shadowy settings, and a mysterious woman. Young employs a vivid vocabulary, complex metaphors, and evocative imagery to explore themes of deception, disillusionment, and destiny. The poem not only delves into the motifs of film noir but also grapples with broader, existential themes about identity and the search for truth.

Young sets the stage with the opening lines: "Snake oil sales / were slow. So I hung / out my shingle on / a shadow." The protagonist, possibly a disillusioned detective, begins his tale of woe, emphasizing the disillusionment he feels in a life reduced to "snake oil sales." Hanging his "shingle on a shadow" conjures the image of a murky, unstable world, a fitting introduction to the world of film noir where morality and truth are often unclear.

The poem's atmosphere is drenched in mystery and danger, captured in phrases like "A dead man's loan," "chinless stoolies," and "doorjambed." Young skillfully employs fragmented sentences and an almost staccato rhythm, mimicking the quick cuts of a film. This style gives the poem an urgency, while the cryptic, jargon-heavy language adds to the sense of enigma and unease.

"She ain't no good," says an informant, yet the protagonist is drawn to her like a moth to a flame. She "wears a watch / on both wrists. Too / many midnights." These lines encapsulate the femme fatale trope, a staple of film noir-a woman with her own sense of time, who might offer salvation or damnation.

The speaker refers to "Evidence mounting like butterflies," a line rich in its paradox. Evidence is supposed to clarify, yet here it's as elusive as butterflies, perhaps suggesting that the 'evidence' of her character or their relationship is intangible, open to interpretation. The protagonist knows he's setting himself up for betrayal-"I was her fall guy"-but can't seem to resist her allure.

The poem ends with the protagonist left "waterlogged & wise," suggesting a realization has dawned, though too late. Despite the deceit and betrayal, the speaker remains without proof of her existence- "No one will attest she ever / did exist." It's a sobering line that speaks to the ephemeral nature of human interactions and relationships.

"Film Noir (The Set-Up)" also touches on existential themes. The protagonist, while drawn into a web of deceit, is also searching for something more authentic, symbolized by his willingness to "waive my fee" and leave his agency. There's a deep-seated longing to break free from the roles and narratives that confine him.

Overall, Young's poem is a brilliant homage to film noir, but it's also a narrative about human vulnerability and the elusive nature of truth. Young's use of noir elements serves as a prism through which to view complex themes of identity, longing, and the human condition. Like a classic film noir, the poem leaves us questioning what we know, ensnared in its complex, shadowy world.

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