Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Morning Jitters" by John Ashbery unfolds as a meditation on existential themes, blending the surreal with the mundane in a narrative that probes the depths of human experience and perception. The poem’s title, “Morning Jitters,” suggests a state of anxiety or unease, a feeling that resonates through the verses as it explores themes of time, fate, and the human quest for understanding and significance.

The opening lines, “And the storm re-established itself / As a hole in the sheet of time,” immediately immerse the reader in a world where natural phenomena and abstract concepts intersect. The storm is not just a meteorological event but a rupture in the continuum of time, suggesting a disruption in the normal flow of events and the weariness that permeates the world.

The narrative then shifts to a morning scene where a husband, reminiscent of a character from a fable, seeks a favor from a mythical fish, “Leviathan.” This interaction between the ordinary (the husband) and the extraordinary (the Leviathan) underscores the poem’s exploration of the human condition in the face of incomprehensible forces.

Leviathan's response, “Too late! Yet if you analyze / The abstract good fortune that has brought you / To this floor,” introduces the idea of fate or destiny. The fish challenges the husband to confront the complexities of his existence, to “unpluck the bees / Immured in the hive of your mind,” a metaphor for delving into the depths of one’s thoughts and emotions, acknowledging both the irritations and triumphs of life.

The phrase “Others too will have implored before forgetting / To remove a stick of night from the scrub-forest / That keeps us wondering about ourselves” reflects on the human tendency to seek answers and then forget the questions, lost in the dense “scrub-forest” of our own minds and existence.

The Leviathan's assertion, “Your uniqueness isn't that unique,” is a humbling reminder of the commonality of the human experience, despite our individual perceptions of being distinct. The advice to “Take this. / Its promise equals power” suggests that acceptance and understanding of one’s place in the world can be empowering, even if it does not yield immediate or tangible benefits.

The poem concludes with a reflection on the constancy of life’s conditions and the indifference of the universe to human struggles. The closing image of “darkness and ships ruffle the sky” evokes a sense of ongoing movement and change, yet within a realm that remains fundamentally the same.

In “Morning Jitters,” Ashbery artfully weaves a tapestry of imagery and metaphor that probes the depths of existential angst and the human quest for meaning. The poem challenges readers to confront their own perceptions of self and the universe, offering a complex, multi-layered exploration of the human psyche.

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