Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Robert Pinsky's "Summoning the Personal Devil" is a dark, introspective poem that delves into the complexities of self-confrontation and the internal battles one faces. The poem, rich with symbolic imagery and allusions, explores themes of identity, inner demons, and the nature of personal struggle.

The poem opens with a quotation: "... my life, my enemy, everything that comes to me..." This line sets the stage for the ensuing exploration of the self as both a friend and foe, a complex entity that encompasses all aspects of one's existence, including the darker, more destructive elements.

In the first section, Pinsky introduces the tools of the summoning ritual: "Ink, fire, quintuple mirrors..." These objects are emblematic of the esoteric and the mystical, suggesting that the act of confronting one's personal devil is both an occult and an introspective journey. The "multiple eye" that the speaker convokes symbolizes a multifaceted awareness, a deep self-reflection that reveals the "growth my being nurtured." This growth, described as a "subtle bully," represents the internalized negativity or self-destructive tendencies that have been fostered over time. The imagery of "dozing flies" that "gorge with a daylong sigh" in "bog or orchard" evokes a sense of decay and the relentless, almost unconscious consumption or absorption of these negative aspects within oneself.

The second section shifts the focus to the confrontation itself. The speaker's "charms and vague elixirs" manage to hold the devil at bay, though "the spell was thin," indicating the fragile nature of the speaker's control over these inner demons. The "gaze broad as death's" and the "hide grey and swollen as self" further emphasize the devil as a manifestation of the speaker's own darkest traits—something both intimately familiar and utterly repellent. The "Furies" mentioned are ancient symbols of vengeance and retribution, representing the internal forces that drive the speaker's self-conflict.

In a moment of eerie recognition, the devil reveals "fly's features" before fading away. This image links back to the earlier reference to flies, underscoring the idea of the devil as something that feeds on the rot and decay within the self. The speaker then takes place "Crystalline, in the iris / Of the huge dissolving eye," suggesting a moment of clarity or self-realization within this encounter. The "crystalline" quality implies purity or transparency, as if the speaker has gained a moment of insight into their own nature, even as the vision of the devil begins to fade.

The poem's structure, with its two distinct yet interconnected sections, mirrors the dual nature of the self—the conscious and the unconscious, the light and the dark. Pinsky's use of vivid, almost surreal imagery helps to convey the abstract and often frightening process of confronting one's inner demons. The devil in the poem is not a separate entity but an extension of the self, a creation of one's own fears, regrets, and destructive impulses.

"Summoning the Personal Devil" is a meditation on the struggle with the self, the internal battle between who we are and who we fear we might be. Pinsky's language is dense and evocative, drawing on mythological and occult imagery to create a sense of the profound and the personal. The poem suggests that facing one's inner demons is both a terrifying and necessary act, one that can lead to a deeper understanding of oneself, even if that understanding is fleeting or incomplete. Through this exploration, Pinsky captures the essence of the human experience—our constant struggle to reconcile the different aspects of our identity and to find clarity in the midst of our own inner turmoil.

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