Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Albert Goldbarth’s poem “Finely Written Labels” delves into the human compulsion to name, categorize, and understand every aspect of our existence. By assigning names to our pains, pleasures, and experiences, we seek to exert control over them, to make them tangible and manageable.

The poem opens with the acknowledgment that knowing pain at a cellular level is not sufficient; we crave a name to anchor our understanding. This desire for a label reflects a broader human need to categorize and, by doing so, diminish the intimidating abstraction of suffering. Whether it’s a ganglionic pain or a complex medical condition like Parkinson’s, Tay-Sachs, or Kaposi’s sarcoma, the act of naming transforms an overwhelming experience into something more concrete and, paradoxically, more bearable. The poem suggests that even if the face of pain is grotesque and terrifying, like a “blood bat drooling,” a name gives it an identity, a way to confront and endure it.

Goldbarth extends this theme of naming to pleasures as well. Just as we name our pains, we seek labels for our joys and indulgences, whether it’s a particular sexual position or a gourmet dish. This act of naming elevates and validates our experiences, providing a sense of order and satisfaction. The reference to "Serpent and Basket" and "Iced Française Supreme" illustrates how we use names to encapsulate and savor our pleasures, adding layers of meaning and context to them.

The poem then shifts to a historical reference, describing Charles Willson Peale’s Museum in Philadelphia in 1820. Here, for 25 cents, visitors could marvel at a vast collection of preserved wonders, each meticulously labeled. These finely written labels, from a 3-headed snake to a massive mastodon, represent the epitome of Linnaean clarity and the human drive to categorize and understand the natural world. Peale’s museum, with its array of curiosities, mirrors our own desire to label and thus comprehend the myriad facets of our existence.

Goldbarth’s detailed description of Peale’s collection serves as a metaphor for our lives. Just as the museum’s exhibits are neatly labeled and displayed, we seek to label and organize our experiences and identities. The poet imagines that within this capering ape tribe, there is a secret name for what remains of our childhood delights, and that a crystal spar might hold the name by which our business selves sign contracts. This longing for names and labels extends to all aspects of our lives, from our professional identities to our innermost pains and joys.

The poem concludes with a poignant metaphor, likening friends to flowers in a botanical garden. This imagery underscores the diversity and complexity of human relationships and experiences. By bringing these friends into language, by naming them, Goldbarth suggests that we not only acknowledge their existence but also honor and cherish them. The act of naming, therefore, is an act of love and recognition, a way of bringing the abstract into the tangible realm of language and understanding.

In “Finely Written Labels,” Goldbarth explores the human need to name and categorize as a way of making sense of the world. Through vivid imagery and historical reference, he illustrates how naming transforms our experiences, providing clarity and a sense of control over the chaos of existence. The poem eloquently captures the paradox of naming: it diminishes the unknown by making it familiar, yet it also elevates the known by endowing it with meaning and significance.

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