Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"My Wicked Wicked Ways" by Sandra Cisneros is a deeply personal poem that delves into the complexities of family dynamics, memory, and identity through the lens of a retrospective narrator reflecting on a family photograph. Through concise and vivid imagery, Cisneros captures a moment frozen in time, revealing the undercurrents of emotion and tension that lie beneath the surface of the depicted scene. This poem, while brief, is rich in its exploration of how familial relationships and past experiences shape our understanding of ourselves and our perceptions of our place within our family.

The poem opens with a description of the narrator's father, evoking the image of a classic movie star with his stylish attire and charismatic demeanor. The comparison to Errol Flynn, a symbol of old Hollywood glamour and masculinity, immediately sets the tone, suggesting a certain charm and recklessness in the father's character. The detail of the "awful shoes, the two-toned ones my mother hates" introduces an element of discord and foreshadows the underlying tensions within the family dynamic.

As the poem shifts focus to the mother, her inability to look directly into the lens because of the sun's brightness serves as a poignant metaphor for her discomfort and perhaps her unwillingness or inability to fully confront or acknowledge the complexities of her marriage and family life. The mention of "the woman, the one my father knows," introduces infidelity into the narrative, an event that causes significant emotional turmoil, as indicated by the mother's angry reaction.

Despite the gravity of the situation, the poem conveys a sense of resigned acceptance and the inevitable fading of intense emotions over time. "After a while everyone will forget it. Years and years will pass." These lines speak to the human capacity to move past pain, to let go of anger, and to cease mentioning past hurts, even if they are never truly forgotten. This gradual silencing of family discord reflects a broader theme of how families often cope with trauma and betrayal by burying it beneath a veneer of normalcy.

The narrator's self-identification as the baby being carried, who is unaware of how she will "turn out bad," introduces a contemplation of identity and the inevitability of change. The phrase "turn out bad" is loaded with self-judgment, suggesting that the narrator believes she has somehow failed to meet her mother's or her own expectations. This self-reflection raises questions about the nature of identity and the extent to which our family's history and secrets shape our sense of self.

"My Wicked Wicked Ways" is a powerful poem that weaves together themes of memory, identity, and the complexities of familial relationships. Cisneros masterfully uses the image of a family photograph as a gateway into a deeper exploration of the hidden tensions and affections that bind families together. The poem invites readers to reflect on their own family dynamics and the ways in which our perceptions of ourselves are influenced by our familial legacies and the narratives we construct about our past.

POEM TEXT: https://tracybecker.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/place-poem-my_wicked_wicked_ways.pdf

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