Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Caricature of Felice Ricarro," by Kenneth Fearing, is a reflective poem in which the persona, Felice Ricarro, provides detailed instructions on how he wishes to be portrayed. Through vivid imagery and deliberate omissions, the poem explores themes of identity, mortality, and the tension between reality and perception.

The poem begins with a directive: "Etch me in black and white. / Describe me as a jet mark / Fixed on a straight horizon." Ricarro asks for simplicity, presenting himself as a "jet mark" that stands out starkly against a flat background. The use of "black and white" signifies a desire for clarity and starkness, stripping away the complexities and nuances of color.

Ricarro continues with further instructions: "Pierce me with a wide arc, / One curving line, to show / Wind swept down from a cold sky, / Back into withering height." The "wide arc" symbolizes the curve of the wind, emphasizing a sense of movement and desolation. The wind sweeping down from a "cold sky" evokes a harsh, wintry landscape, while the "withering height" suggests an ascension into bleakness.

The next stanza provides more details for the setting: "Make it a winter scene, / The ground a vacant space, / White, for an ice plateau." Ricarro envisions himself in an empty landscape devoid of warmth, color, or life. The "vacant space" and "ice plateau" underscore the sense of isolation and starkness, reinforcing the desire for simplicity and austerity.

Ricarro then explicitly instructs the artist to remove any traces of vitality or emotion: "Have nothing else, no trace / Of color and no breath / Of angry, secret life." This directive to omit any "breath" or sign of life reflects a desire for a detached and almost clinical portrayal, devoid of the complexities and contradictions of human existence.

The poem continues with further omissions: "Omit the diamond spark / Veiled in the human eye. / Nor will you hint of death." By omitting the "diamond spark" in the eye, Ricarro wants to remove any suggestion of humanity or inner life. Similarly, the absence of death removes any overt sign of mortality, leaving the caricature in a suspended, timeless state.

Ricarro also instructs the artist not to depict the "stiff dark / Compact men who lie / In ichor-bleeding cliffs, / Silent and sweet, that stretch / Beneath this vacant snow." The "stiff dark compact men" likely represent the dead, who remain unacknowledged in this barren landscape. Their presence would introduce a darker and more complex theme, which Ricarro explicitly rejects.

The poem concludes with a clear summary of the desired caricature: "Caricature me so. / Scratch your personal mark / In the corner. But the sketch / I want simple, and stark." The directive to "caricature me so" reinforces the controlled, intentional nature of the portrayal. The instruction to "scratch your personal mark" in the corner acknowledges the artist's presence but ensures that the artist's influence remains secondary to Ricarro's vision. The repeated emphasis on simplicity and starkness highlights a desire for clarity and detachment, creating a cold and impersonal image.

Structurally, the poem is written in free verse, allowing Fearing to express Ricarro's instructions fluidly. The deliberate use of repetition and stark imagery emphasizes the persona's desire for control and detachment. The consistent tone and focused imagery create a cohesive portrait of a person seeking to distance himself from the complexities of life.

In "Caricature of Felice Ricarro," Kenneth Fearing offers a compelling exploration of how identity can be shaped and controlled through art. The poem reveals a persona who wishes to strip away the complexities of human existence, seeking simplicity and starkness at the expense of life and emotion. Ultimately, the poem serves as a meditation on the tension between reality and perception, highlighting the ways in which we shape our own identities through the images we create of ourselves.

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