Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Lawrence Ferlinghetti's poem "I Genitori Perduti" is a poignant reflection on memory, loss, and family. The poem’s title, which translates to "The Lost Parents" in Italian, sets the tone for a piece that explores the ghosts of the poet’s past and his longing to reconnect with loved ones who have passed away or are estranged. Through vivid imagery and a sense of mourning, Ferlinghetti creates a tableau where memories intertwine with the physical landscape of Washington Square in New York City.

The poem begins with an ethereal image of "The dove-white gulls / on the wet lawn in Washington Square / in the early morning fog." The gulls, shrouded in mist, appear as "each a little ghost in the gloaming," creating a surreal and almost otherworldly atmosphere. These "little ghosts" are described as "Souls transmigrated maybe / from Hudson’s shrouded shores / across all the silent years," suggesting that they represent spirits returning from the river’s fog to haunt this park.

Ferlinghetti then personalizes these ghostly figures by wondering which of them represent his lost family members. The poet first asks, "Which one’s my maybe mafioso father / in his so white suit and black shoes," picturing his father in the context of a "real estate office Forty-second Street" or "at the front table wherever he went." The father’s ghostly presence is marked by the iconic attire of a white suit and black shoes, evoking an air of mystery and nostalgia.

The poet’s mother is then remembered as "my dear lost mother with faded smile / locked away from me in time." The "faded smile" emphasizes the passage of time and the distance that has grown between mother and son, while "locked away" suggests her absence or inaccessibility.

Ferlinghetti continues with memories of his brothers. "My big brother Charley / selling switching-signals all his life / on the New York Central" reflects a life of routine and commitment, working on the railway. Another brother, Clem, served as "deputy-warden thirty years / watching executions in the wooden armchair / (with leather straps and black hood)." This chilling detail highlights the grim realities Clem faced, leading to him going "mad with it in the end."

The poet’s "nearest brother Harry," however, remains "still kindest and dearest in a far suburb." Despite the distance, Harry's memory is marked by warmth and affection, contrasting with the darker memories of other family members.

The poem closes with a vision of these lost family members turning toward the poet: "I see them now all turn to me at last / gull-eyed in the white dawn / about to call to me / across the silent grass." The "gull-eyed" description ties the family members to the earlier image of the dove-white gulls, symbolizing their spectral presence. The "white dawn" and "silent grass" create a serene, yet poignant atmosphere as these familial ghosts are "about to call" to the poet, suggesting an attempt to bridge the gap between the living and the dead.

In "I Genitori Perduti," Ferlinghetti navigates the landscape of memory with a deep sense of loss and longing. By using the imagery of gulls as stand-ins for his lost family, he evokes the fragility and elusiveness of memory. The poem reflects on the inevitability of time and the fading connections that accompany it, while also revealing the poet's desire to reconnect with the spirits of his past across "all the silent years."

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