Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Abscess," Forrest Gander crafts a haunting and evocative narrative that traverses personal and historical trauma, blending intimate moments with broader societal calamities. The poem's stark imagery and fragmented storytelling create a sense of inevitability and despair, underscoring the relentless passage of time and the inescapability of fate.

The poem opens with a seemingly mundane and intimate moment—a good morning kiss—only to immediately introduce a sense of disquiet with "Their teeth glance." This minor collision hints at underlying tension or discord. The mention of June bugs clacking against a pane adds to the atmosphere of disturbance, suggesting a natural world that is not at peace.

Gander quickly shifts focus to a young man rocking on the porch in the full sun, while jars incubate tomato plants. This image juxtaposes life and growth with the rocking motion that hints at restlessness or unease. His mother, engaged in the repetitive task of sweeping the dirt yard, is "one-eyed by ragged hens," a detail that lends a sense of weariness and disarray to the scene. Her son's departure, accompanied by the "steady pulse in his skull," suggests a burgeoning headache or a deeper psychological strain.

The poem then dives into a historical context, with references to specific years and catastrophic events. The mother's taking of a headache powder transports the narrative back to 1927, when the James River overran its levee. The subsequent years, marked by crop failures and drought, depict a sequence of relentless hardships. Each year is a litany of disaster—burnt tobacco crops in 1929, drought in 1930—emphasizing the continuous and cumulative nature of the family's struggles.

Gander's depiction of revival tents threatening "a rain of scorpions" introduces a surreal and almost apocalyptic tone. This imagery evokes biblical plagues and divine retribution, suggesting that the family's suffering is part of a larger, incomprehensible pattern of punishment or misfortune.

The narrative takes a dark turn with the mention of a woman who, in an attempt to cure her hiccups, sees a hypnotist and subsequently "coughs herself to death." This tragic and abrupt end underscores the futility of seeking escape or relief from their dire circumstances. The image of men riding in "pungs" (sleds) marked for death further solidifies the poem's grim atmosphere.

The son's fate, described as being "blown away," encapsulates the sense of loss and disintegration that permeates the poem. The finality of "No one returns in this story. No one escapes" drives home the poem's central theme: the inevitability of ruination and the impossibility of escape. The family's fate is sealed, their bonds "glued together for ruination."

"Abscess" is a powerful meditation on suffering, resilience, and the inexorable passage of time. Gander's use of vivid, often brutal imagery and his seamless blending of personal and historical narratives create a poignant and unsettling portrait of a family's relentless struggle against forces beyond their control. The poem's closing lines leave readers with a stark and sobering reflection on the human condition: "There is no more time, there is no way out."

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