Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Easy" by Denise Duhamel is a compelling and distressing poem that navigates through the traumatic experiences of the speaker on a train in Milan in 1981. The poem intricately explores themes of vulnerability, sexual aggression, cultural perceptions of women, and the intersection of personal trauma with the societal attitudes that often minimize such experiences. Through a narrative that intertwines the past and the present, Duhamel exposes the harsh realities women face, particularly in contexts where their autonomy and safety are compromised.

The poem opens with a harrowing account of an attempted sexual assault, setting a tone of fear and violation. The speaker describes how she defended herself against an aggressor who later engaged in a lewd act while his friends blocked her access to safety. This event not only highlights the physical threat but also underscores the psychological terror of being trapped and helpless. The assailant's friends' involvement and the subsequent lack of police intervention deepen the sense of injustice and vulnerability, reflecting on the broader societal failure to protect women from sexual violence.

Parallel to this traumatic experience, the poem delves into a seemingly mundane yet emotionally charged activity: the speaker trying to write a letter to her younger sister, who is pregnant and planning to marry. This narrative thread serves as a poignant contrast to the violence occurring in the same temporal and emotional space. The act of writing the letter introduces themes of choice, future, and familial relationships, which starkly contrast with the lack of control the speaker experiences during the assault.

Duhamel uses the interaction with another man on the train, who invades her personal space and privacy by reading her letter, as a metaphorical bridge connecting these two contrasting experiences. This man's intrusion is not physically violent but is nonetheless a violation of her privacy and autonomy. His question about whether American girls are "easy" reveals a disturbing stereotype that potentially fuels such aggressive behaviors towards women, pointing to a cultural narrative that objectifies and sexualizes women based on nationality or presumed sexual availability.

The repetition of the opening line at the end of the poem serves as a powerful literary device, encapsulating the cyclical and ongoing nature of the speaker's reflection on the events. It emphasizes the continued impact of the trauma and the inescapable memories that linger long after the physical events have passed.

Overall, "Easy" is a profound commentary on the intersections of personal trauma, cultural stereotypes, and systemic indifference. Duhamel crafts a narrative that is both personal and universal, shedding light on the often-silenced struggles that women endure in a world where their experiences are frequently dismissed or minimized. The poem is a stark reminder of the resilience required to navigate such experiences and the urgent need for societal change to address and prevent sexual violence and harassment.

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