Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Muriel Rukeyser’s poem "Despisals" confronts the reader with a call to reject societal and internalized prejudices. The poem weaves together themes of identity, acceptance, and the interconnectedness of all human experiences. Through her bold and candid language, Rukeyser challenges the reader to embrace every aspect of humanity, both within themselves and others.

The poem opens with a powerful statement against the neglect and disdain often directed towards marginalized areas and communities: "In the human cities, never again to / despise the backside of the city, the ghetto, / or build it again as we build the despised / backsides of houses." Here, Rukeyser critiques the tendency to relegate certain parts of the city—and by extension, certain groups of people—to the status of the "other." She calls for a recognition that "You are the city," urging an acknowledgment that every part of the city, every community, is a reflection of ourselves.

Rukeyser extends this call for acceptance to our inner worlds and identities: "Among our secrecies, not to despise our Jews / (that is, ourselves) or our darkness, our blacks." By identifying Jews and Blacks with "ourselves," Rukeyser emphasizes the inherent unity and shared humanity among all people. The poem rejects the societal constructs that lead to the marginalization of individuals based on race, religion, or sexuality: "or in our sexuality wherever it takes us / and we now know we are productive / too productive, too reproductive / for our present invention." These lines reflect on the complexities of human sexuality and reproduction, criticizing the societal norms that often seek to regulate and suppress these aspects of identity.

Rukeyser's poem is a call to embrace all forms of human expression and identity: "never to despise / the homosexual who goes building another / with touch with touch (not to despise any touch) / each like himself, like herself each." She champions the idea that all forms of love and connection are valid and valuable, rejecting the prejudices that often target the LGBTQ+ community. The repeated phrase "not to despise" serves as a refrain, reinforcing the poem’s message of acceptance and respect.

The poem delves deeper into the body, challenging the reader to reject shame and disgust associated with natural bodily functions: "In the body’s ghetto / never to go despising the asshole / nor the useful shit that is our clean clue / to what we need." By referring to the body’s functions in such a straightforward manner, Rukeyser emphasizes the importance of accepting and understanding our bodies, free from societal taboos.

Rukeyser continues this theme with a focus on female sexuality: "Never to despise / the clitoris in her least speech." Here, she highlights the often-ignored aspects of female pleasure and sexuality, calling for recognition and respect for all parts of the body and their functions.

The poem culminates in a powerful assertion of self-acceptance and interconnectedness: "Never to despise in myself what I have been taught / to despise. Not to despise the other. / Not to despise the it. To make this relation / with the it: to know that I am it." Rukeyser emphasizes the importance of overcoming internalized prejudices, recognizing that the self and the other are fundamentally connected. By making peace with the "it"—the aspects of ourselves and others that society teaches us to reject—we come to a fuller understanding of our shared humanity.

"Despisals" is a bold and unflinching examination of prejudice and acceptance. Through her candid language and powerful imagery, Rukeyser challenges the reader to confront and reject the societal norms that foster division and self-hatred. Instead, she calls for a celebration of all aspects of human identity and experience, urging us to recognize our fundamental interconnectedness and shared humanity.

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