Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Breathing In" by David Baker is a profound exploration of the human experience of craving, addiction, and the inevitability of mortality, using the metaphor of breathing to delve into the depths of physical and emotional dependency. Through a careful juxtaposition of images and scenarios, Baker captures the essence of human vulnerability and the complex relationship between desire, sustenance, and the act of letting go.

The poem opens with a striking image of a man underwater, suggesting a scenario of desperation and survival. The comparison of drowning to the act of inhaling water introduces the theme of adaptation to harmful circumstances, highlighting the human capacity to consume what is necessary for survival, even when it is inherently dangerous or unnatural. This imagery seamlessly transitions to the comparison with a smoker, who, driven by either contemplation or desperation, inhales deeply. The "chemical enchantment" of nicotine provides a temporary rush, a fleeting escape from reality, much like the man underwater grasps for what he perceives as air.

Baker employs the term "agonal breaths" to describe the man's final attempts to breathe, a medical term that signifies the last gasps of life when the body can no longer take in oxygen. This moment is depicted with poignant clarity, as the man's physical struggle mirrors his internal battle—the relentless pursuit of a breath that no longer sustains life but rather signifies its end. The imagery of "three cups beside him: pills, mashed ice, top teeth" suggests a medical setting, further emphasizing the stark reality of his condition and the interventions that have been attempted to save or extend his life.

The poem's closing lines, "he nods / in slow ascent, oh waves, oh fabulous smoke, oh lovely (our) breath's gone too) memory, breathing in," evoke a sense of resignation and release. The repetition of "oh" and the reference to "fabulous smoke" and "lovely memory" reflect a nostalgic recollection of the pleasures and pains that breathing—in all its metaphorical and literal forms—has brought to life. The parenthetical "our breath's gone too" subtly includes the reader in the narrative, reminding us of our shared vulnerability to the same desires, addictions, and ultimately, the same fate.

"Breathing In" is a meditation on the cycles of craving and release, the ways in which we seek to fill the voids within us, and the inevitable surrender to forces beyond our control. Baker's use of vivid imagery and the metaphor of breathing create a powerful commentary on the human condition, inviting reflection on the moments of fulfillment and the acceptance of life's final breath.

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