Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Buckdancer's Choice" by James Dickey, the poem weaves together themes of mortality, memory, and the redemptive power of art through the lens of personal and cultural history. The poem's evocative imagery and lyrical narrative bridge the personal experience of the speaker with broader historical and cultural contexts, reflecting on the decline of traditional forms and the enduring spirit that they embody.

The opening lines introduce us to the intimate setting of an invalid's bed, where the speaker's mother, despite suffering from "breathless angina," continues to express herself through whistling. This whistling is not merely a simple tune but a complex performance described as "The thousand variations of one song." The song is identified as "Buckdancer’s Choice," which not only gives the poem its title but also serves as a symbolic thread connecting the personal to the universal.

Dickey references the fading tradition of buck-and-wing dancing, a style associated with traveling minstrel shows and deeply rooted in African American history. The imagery of "Freed black, with cymbals at heel, / An ex-slave who thrivingly danced" evokes a figure who, despite the weight of historical oppression, finds a form of expression that is vibrant and liberating. This dancing figure, imagined through the mother’s whistling, becomes a symbol of resilience and resistance against the constraints of both physical ailment and historical bondage.

The poet skillfully intertwines the mother's frail condition with the robust energy of the dance, creating a powerful contrast that highlights the transformative potential of art and memory. As the mother whistles, she summons not only the music but also the spirit of the dance, "To the ring of his own clashing light." This line suggests that the music and dance illuminate the room, casting light on the darker aspects of human condition—sickness, slavery, and mortality.

Dickey's use of sensory details and dynamic verbs ("warbling," "thrivingly danced," "clashing") brings the scene to life, enabling the reader to visualize and feel the energy of the dance and the persistence of the music. The mother's ability to "whistle up in my head / A sight like a one-man band" indicates the profound impact that her expressions have on the speaker, transforming her breath struggles into a vivid, multisensory experience.

The speaker describes moving "Sock-footed, to hear the sounds alter," suggesting a careful, almost reverent approach to listening to his mother. This movement parallels the attentiveness required to fully appreciate the depth and nuances of cultural and personal histories. The comparison of her tongue to a "mockingbird's break" underscores her ability to mimic and perhaps transcend the multiple voices and stories embedded within the song.

The poem concludes by reflecting on the broader implications of the dance and the music for "the last dancers of their kind, / For ill women and for all slaves / Of death, and children enchanted at walls." This passage elevates the act of dancing and music-making to a universal plane, where it becomes a metaphor for fighting against the inevitable—death, illness, and oppression. The imagery of children "enchanted at walls / With a brass-beating glow underfoot" suggests a generational continuity, a passing of the torch through art, ensuring that even as old forms die out, their essence survives and continues to inspire.

Overall, "Buckdancer's Choice" is a deeply reflective and beautifully crafted poem that celebrates the enduring power of art to connect us to our past, to animate our present, and to inspire resilience and joy in the face of life's adversities.

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