Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Denise Duhamel's poem "Buying Stock" explores the heightened anxieties and precautions surrounding intimacy in the age of AIDS, particularly reflecting on the fears prevalent in the late 1980s. Through the lens of an overly cautious narrator, Duhamel uses dark humor and hyperbole to critique and illuminate the paranoia about disease transmission and the impact it has on human relationships and physical closeness.

The poem begins by referencing a statement from the Surgeon General in 1987, which underscores the uncertainty and fear surrounding the transmission of HIV. This introduction sets the tone for the intense caution that follows, as the speaker prepares for a romantic encounter. The Surgeon General’s message highlights the lack of absolute certainty in preventing the transmission of the virus, which fuels the speaker’s compulsion to control every possible risk, no matter how small or unlikely.

The narrative quickly shifts to a scene where the speaker asks their partner to wear condoms not just on the usual body parts but on each finger and even over the tongue. This request extends the use of prophylactics to an absurd degree, symbolizing the overwhelming fear of infection that compromises even the most basic aspects of human interaction. The suggestion to use condoms as eye patches “if we leave these two rolled, you can wear them as patches over your eyes” further deepens the irony and the surreal nature of the precautions, pointing to a desire to shield oneself from all possible vulnerabilities—even visual or emotional ones.

Duhamel's use of detailed and intimate actions—helping the partner put a condom on their tongue, for instance—underscores the absurdity and the tragedy of the situation. This level of precaution disrupts not only physical intimacy but also the emotional and psychological connections that are essential parts of romantic relationships. The mention of partners crying "at all this trust, at even the thought of this closeness" highlights the emotional strain caused by such extreme measures, suggesting that the fear of disease can erode the foundation of trust and closeness that relationships are built upon.

"Buying Stock" effectively captures the tension between the desire for intimacy and the fear of illness, a dichotomy that was especially pronounced during the height of the AIDS crisis. By exaggerating the precautions to a comedic level, Duhamel critiques the societal and medical discourses that can lead to irrational fear and stigmatization, impacting personal relationships deeply. The poem serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of fear and the challenges of navigating intimacy in a world where absolute safety is elusive.

Overall, Duhamel uses "Buying Stock" to reflect on the impact of health crises on personal and societal levels, using humor and hyperbole to comment on the ways in which fear can transform intimate acts into clinical procedures devoid of human warmth and connection.

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