Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Ford Madox Ford (1873-1939)" by Robert Lowell is a reflective and incisive tribute to the writer Ford Madox Ford, capturing his complex character, career, and the trials he faced.

The poem opens with a vivid image from a golf game: "The lobbed ball plops, then dribbles to the cup… / (a birdie Fordie!) But it nearly killed / the ministers." This casual yet deadly game of golf serves as a metaphor for the impact of Ford's literary work and his interactions with influential figures like Lloyd George. The playful tone quickly turns sharp as Ford’s art is criticized: "Hueffer has used a niblick on the green; / it’s filthy art, Sir, filthy art!" This criticism highlights the tension between Ford's innovative style and the conservative literary establishment.

Lowell captures Ford’s wit and defiance in his response: "What is art to me and thee? / Will a blacksmith teach a midwife how to bear?" This retort diminishes the statesman's criticism, asserting Ford's belief in the autonomy and distinctiveness of artistic creation. The poem reflects Ford’s military aspirations and frustrations: "Otherwise, / I would have been general of a division." This sentiment underlines the conflict between his literary ambitions and his experiences in the military, particularly during World War I.

Ford’s struggles are further elaborated upon with references to his wartime experiences and the aftermath: "mustard gassed voiceless some seven miles / behind the lines at Nancy or Belleau Wood." These lines evoke the physical and psychological toll of the war on Ford. The imagery of Ford emerging in his "worn uniform, / gilt dragons on the revers of the tunic" paints a picture of a man marked by his service yet carrying an air of dignity and defiance.

Lowell also explores Ford’s post-war life, marked by professional and personal upheavals: "O divorced, divorced / from the whale-fat of post-war London!" The image of being "boomed, cut, plucked and booted" captures the harshness of Ford’s rejection by society and the literary world. His struggles in America, where he nearly died in Boulder due to the altitude, further illustrate his persistent hardships.

The poem's tone becomes more personal and poignant as Lowell describes Ford’s later years: "your audience, almost football-size, / shrank to a dozen, while you stood / mumbling, with fish-blue-eyes, / and mouth pushed out / fish-fashion, as if you gagged for air." This portrayal of Ford’s decline and isolation is both empathetic and stark, highlighting the contrast between his former prominence and his later obscurity.

Lowell then shifts to a broader reflection on Ford’s legacy and the harsh realities of the literary market: "But master, mammoth mumbler, tell me why / the bales of your left-over novels buy / less than a bandage for your gouty foot." The poignant question underscores the undervaluation of Ford’s work and the financial struggles he faced despite his significant contributions to literature.

The final lines of the poem offer a powerful summary of Ford’s life: "Wheel-horse, O unforgetting elephant, / I hear you huffing at your old Brevoort, / Timon and Falstaff, while you heap the board / for publishers. Fiction! I’m selling short / your lies that made the great your equals. Ford, / you were a kind man and you died in want." This passage acknowledges Ford’s tenacity and his ability to elevate fiction to a level that challenged the social order, while also recognizing the personal kindness and the tragic end he faced.

In "Ford Madox Ford (1873-1939)," Robert Lowell skillfully intertwines personal anecdotes, historical context, and literary critique to paint a comprehensive and deeply empathetic portrait of Ford Madox Ford. The poem’s structured couplets and rich imagery invite readers to contemplate the complexities of Ford’s life, his contributions to literature, and the poignant realities of his personal struggles.

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