Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"An Obscene Poem" by Robert Creeley embarks on a vivid exploration of desire, intimacy, and the elemental connection between humans and the natural world. The poem, through its imagery and narrative, delves into the complex layers of personal relationships, presenting a scene that is at once intimate and universal, private and expansively connected to the rhythms of nature.

The opening line, "The girl in the bikini, my wife, the lady-she sits on the rocks, crouched behind a jagged encumbrance," immediately sets a scene of stark natural beauty and personal intimacy. The speaker's wife, referred to in a progression from "the girl in the bikini" to "my wife" to "the lady," is depicted in a moment of vulnerability and solitude, juxtaposed against the rugged backdrop of the rocks and the sea. This progression in descriptors highlights the multifaceted nature of the woman's identity—as an object of desire, a life partner, and an individual with her own dignity and complexity.

The mention of "Calamares, canalones— the fisherman's daughter" introduces another layer to the poem, hinting at a narrative of local life and the interconnectedness of human existence with the sea. These elements serve to ground the poem in a specific cultural and geographical context, enriching the imagery with a sense of place and tradition.

The poem then shifts to a more mysterious and sensuous imagery: "At night a dull movement on the sands / and lightly at low tide on the rocks / bland, undulant she returns." These lines evoke the ebb and flow of the tide, mirroring the natural cycles of the sea with the movements of the woman. The use of "bland, undulant" to describe her return conveys a sense of the rhythmic, almost hypnotic allure of both the woman and the sea, blending their essences into a singular, captivating force.

"An Obscene Poem," despite its provocative title, is less about obscenity in the conventional sense and more about the deep, often unspoken connections between people, their desires, and the natural world. Creeley uses the landscape and the figure of the woman to explore themes of desire, the passage of time, and the ceaseless, sometimes mundane, rhythms of life and nature.

The style of the poem is characteristic of Creeley's broader oeuvre, marked by concise imagery, a focus on the physical and tangible aspects of human relationships, and an ability to convey profound emotional and existential themes through seemingly simple scenes and narratives. The poem's imagery and narrative flow invite readers to reflect on the intersections of love, desire, and the primal forces of nature, challenging them to reconsider what might be deemed 'obscene' by looking beyond the superficial to the deeply human and natural processes at work.

In conclusion, "An Obscene Poem" is a nuanced exploration of intimacy, identity, and the interplay between the human and natural realms. Creeley crafts a scene that is both specific in its details and universal in its themes, inviting readers to ponder the intricate dance of relationships, the beauty and complexity of the natural world, and the ways in which our deepest connections transcend the bounds of language and convention. Through this poem, Creeley demonstrates his mastery of language and his ability to evoke rich, layered meanings from concise and vivid imagery, affirming his place as a significant voice in the landscape of American poetry.

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