Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Alice Fulton’s "Industrial Lace" is a deeply evocative poem that juxtaposes the delicate and the industrial, weaving together imagery of domestic life, work, and memory. Through a series of rich, sensory descriptions, Fulton explores the intersection of personal history and industrial labor, highlighting the ways in which these elements shape and influence one another.

The poem opens with a nostalgic image: "The city had such pretty clotheslines." This line sets the tone for a meditation on the past, where the everyday act of airing laundry becomes a focal point for reflection. The "emery haze" of the city, likely a reference to industrial dust, mingles with the "membranes of lingerie" on the clotheslines. The use of "membranes" evokes a sense of fragility and intimacy, while the materials—"pearl, ruby, copper slips"—suggest a richness and sensuality.

Fulton’s description of the lingerie "somehow intestinal quivering in the wind" introduces a tension between the organic and the industrial, reflecting the complexity of life in a working-class city. The scent of baking from Freihofer’s bakery adds another layer to this sensory tapestry, creating a "sensual net" over North Troy, a blend of domestic comfort and industrial reality.

The poem then shifts to the broader industrial landscape, with Niagara Mohawk providing power and light, and union members working on the line. These workers are engaged in transforming raw materials—fabrics made from wood and acid, synthetics that resist ventilation—into everyday items like housecoats. The "Dacron gardens twisted on the line" serve as a metaphor for the intersection of nature and industry, with synthetic materials mimicking organic forms.

Fulton’s use of light imagery—"Sackdresses dyed the sun / as sun passed through, making a brash stained glass"—evokes a sense of transformation, where mundane objects become beautiful and significant. The juxtaposition of the "leading of the tenements" with "medical supplies" in the warehouse speaks to the coexistence of life and labor, of care and toil.

The speaker’s personal reflections add an intimate layer to the poem. Waiting for the bus by a warehouse window, she tries to forget "the pathological inside" and focuses on "being alive." This moment of introspection is intertwined with thoughts of home and family, with "amber envelopes of mail" symbolizing communication and connection.

The mention of Aunt Fran and Aunt Alice, who work in food service and manufacturing respectively, further grounds the poem in the reality of working-class life. Aunt Alice’s work with "industrial lace" and the image of "milk crates of orange" dripping through cartons highlight the tactile and tangible nature of their labor.

The poem’s conclusion is both poignant and reflective. The speaker recalls her father, who kept a packet of "lightning-cut sanding discs, still sealed." This discovery, twenty years after his death, serves as a tangible link to the past and a symbol of unfinished projects and enduring connections. The comparison of the sanding discs to "Homestyle" cookies labeled "Best Before" underscores the passage of time and the ephemeral nature of life and memory.

Fulton’s final lines—"The old cellophane was tough. / But I ripped until I touched / their harsh done crust"—bring the poem full circle, returning to the tactile and the tangible. The act of ripping open the cellophane and touching the rough sanding discs mirrors the broader theme of uncovering and engaging with the past, of finding beauty and meaning in the midst of industrial and personal history.

"Industrial Lace" is a masterful exploration of the intersections between personal memory, domestic life, and industrial labor. Through her vivid imagery and nuanced reflections, Alice Fulton captures the complexity and richness of working-class experiences, offering a poignant meditation on the ways in which we navigate and find meaning in our intertwined histories.

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