Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Self-Portrait," Robert Creeley presents a stark and unflinching look at an aging man’s desire for authenticity, independence, and perhaps even defiance in the face of his diminishing physical self. The poem’s tone is one of rejection and disillusionment, as Creeley’s speaker distances himself from past attempts at gentleness and connection, preferring a stance of brutal honesty, even if that honesty isolates him. Through sparse language and intense imagery, Creeley examines themes of aging, the struggle for self-definition, and the desire to confront life—and others—on one’s own terms, free from the pretense of social niceties.

The poem opens with the blunt declaration, “He wants to be a brutal old man,” immediately establishing the speaker’s wish to embody a harsh and unyielding identity. The repetition of “brutal” in both the opening and subsequent lines underscores the intensity of this desire, as if the speaker seeks to embrace the roughness and emptiness around him. This emphasis on “brutality” suggests a rejection of vulnerability, kindness, or softness. Rather than striving to be a “wise” or “gentle” old man, which are common cultural ideals for aging, he chooses to embrace a form of hardness, even aggression, that aligns him with his environment—“as dull, as brutal as the emptiness around him.” The phrase captures a sense of alienation, implying that the speaker finds himself surrounded by a world he sees as meaningless or drained of vibrancy, and he seeks to mirror that reality in his own demeanor.

The speaker’s rejection of “compromise” and his insistence on being “mean, and final in his brutal, his total, rejection of it all” highlights his desire for a stark and uncompromising stance. There’s an underlying frustration here, as though compromise and social niceties have proven unsatisfactory, leaving him feeling diminished or inauthentic. By refusing to “be ever nice to anyone,” the speaker expresses a determination to abandon social expectations that he feels are false or restrictive. This absolute rejection of compromise hints at a desire for purity or truth, even if that truth is harsh. The finality of his stance—desiring to be “total” in his rejection—suggests a wish for a clean break from past behaviors, as if he is done with pretense and ready to embrace whatever form of authenticity he finds, no matter how isolating.

The line “He tried the sweet, the gentle, the ‘oh, let’s hold hands together’ and it was awful, dull, brutally inconsequential” reveals the speaker’s disillusionment with attempts at kindness and connection. The dismissive tone—“awful, dull, brutally inconsequential”—indicates that these efforts left him feeling unfulfilled or even repelled. The phrase “oh, let’s hold hands together” feels almost mocking, suggesting that the speaker views such expressions of unity or affection as superficial or insincere. For him, attempts at sweetness or gentleness lack substance, failing to address the deeper, harsher realities he perceives in life. The use of “brutally inconsequential” emphasizes that these gestures of warmth or intimacy ultimately felt meaningless to him, reinforcing his choice to abandon them in favor of a more solitary, uncompromising approach.

“Now he’ll stand on his own dwindling legs” captures a poignant sense of physical decline alongside the speaker’s resolve to remain independent. The image of “dwindling legs” speaks to the realities of aging—of a body that weakens and shrinks with time. Yet, despite this physical decline, the speaker chooses to “stand on his own,” emphasizing his determination to remain self-reliant. This image suggests both vulnerability and resilience; he is aware of his body’s limitations but refuses to lean on others or seek comfort in companionship. This stance of independence, even as his body fails him, reflects a commitment to autonomy and a refusal to show weakness, underscoring the poem’s theme of confronting aging on one’s own terms.

“His arms, his skin, shrink daily” continues this reflection on physical decline, with the speaker observing the gradual loss of strength and vitality in his own body. This line highlights the inevitability of aging and the physical changes that accompany it. The phrase “shrink daily” evokes a sense of time passing relentlessly, of a body that withers slowly and inexorably. There is an underlying sadness in this acknowledgment of physical loss, yet the speaker remains resolute in his stance, refusing to soften or yield despite the changes in his body.

The final line, “And he loves, but hates equally,” captures the speaker’s emotional ambivalence. This duality—of love and hate existing simultaneously—reflects a complex inner life, where affection and resentment coexist. The speaker’s capacity for love suggests that he is not devoid of feeling or entirely hardened, yet his equal capacity for hate implies that these emotions are tempered by bitterness or frustration. This line encapsulates the poem’s central tension: the speaker is not entirely detached from others or from life, but his experiences and disappointments have led him to a place of guardedness and inner conflict. The coexistence of love and hate within him suggests that he is still engaged with the world, though on terms that are fundamentally at odds with conventional ideas of kindness or unity.

In "Self-Portrait," Robert Creeley portrays a man who, facing the realities of aging and physical decline, chooses to embrace a harsh and uncompromising identity. Through vivid language and intense self-reflection, the poem explores themes of autonomy, disillusionment, and the desire to confront life with brutal honesty. The speaker’s rejection of social niceties and his insistence on standing alone reflect a deep-seated need for authenticity, even as his physical body betrays him. Ultimately, "Self-Portrait" captures the complexity of aging, where a lifetime of experiences—both positive and negative—leads the speaker to a place of defiant self-reliance, balancing love and hate as he navigates the challenges of his final years. The poem suggests that authenticity, even when it is isolating or difficult, can be a form of resilience, a way of asserting one’s identity in the face of life’s inevitable changes.

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