Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Mark Strand’s "The New Poetry Handbook" is a satirical and reflective exploration of the poet’s life, its contradictions, and the often self-inflicted struggles of those who engage deeply with the art of poetry. Employing a numbered list of aphoristic statements, the poem creates a tone that is simultaneously tongue-in-cheek and earnest, offering a wry commentary on the paradoxes of creativity and the poet's role in society.

The poem’s structure—a series of declarative statements—mimics the authoritative tone of an instruction manual or rulebook. This irony is central to Strand’s critique of the poet’s existence: the poet, who operates in the realm of the ineffable and subjective, finds no simple rules or guidelines for their craft. The numbered format lends an illusion of order and universality to what are, in essence, deeply personal and absurd truths about the poetic life.

The opening lines, "If a man understands a poem, / he shall have troubles," establish the paradoxical nature of the poet’s engagement with their work. Understanding a poem—or engaging deeply with its implications—leads to discomfort, signaling that poetry challenges, unsettles, and resists easy interpretation. Similarly, the statement "If a man lives with a poem, / he shall die lonely" underscores the isolating nature of the poetic vocation. Poetry demands devotion, often at the expense of relationships or worldly connections, an observation that intertwines humor with genuine pathos.

Strand’s humor sharpens as he moves into more absurd assertions, such as "If a man conceives of a poem, / he shall have one less child." This hyperbolic equation of poetic creation with the sacrifice of biological procreation mocks societal expectations, suggesting that the act of writing a poem carries its own costs—emotional, personal, or even existential. Similarly, the observations about crowns ("If a man wears a crown on his head as he writes, / he shall be found out") critique both pretension and humility, exposing the poet’s vulnerability to self-delusion and external judgment.

The theme of human frailty and ego continues with lines like "If a man brags about his poems, / he shall be loved by fools," highlighting the precarious balance between recognition and ridicule. Poetry, in Strand’s vision, is less about external acclaim and more about an intimate, and often painful, reckoning with oneself. This notion extends to the absurdity of public denunciation ("If a man publicly denounces poetry, / his shoes will fill with urine"), which ridicules those who disown or deride poetry while indirectly asserting its inescapable influence.

The latter part of the poem delves deeper into existential musings, often tempered by humor. For example, "If a man lets his poems go naked, / he shall fear death," reflects the vulnerability of the poet who exposes their innermost thoughts and emotions through their work. The lines "If a man fears death, / he shall be saved by his poems" and "If a man does not fear death, / he may or may not be saved by his poems" highlight the ambiguous power of poetry to confront mortality. These declarations blur the boundaries between salvation and futility, presenting poetry as both an anchor and an uncertain remedy for the human condition.

The poem concludes on a note of quiet transcendence: "If a man finishes a poem, / he shall bathe in the blank wake of his passion / and be kissed by white paper." Here, Strand gestures toward the ephemeral yet profound fulfillment that comes with the act of creation. The "blank wake" suggests both emptiness and possibility—a space left by the intensity of poetic expression, while the "white paper" symbolizes renewal and the ongoing dialogue between the poet and the page.

Strand’s language is deliberately simple and conversational, allowing the weight of his observations to emerge through the juxtaposition of humor and insight. The poem operates on multiple levels: as a critique of the poet’s pretensions, as a meditation on the costs and rewards of the artistic life, and as a playful yet poignant acknowledgment of the absurdity inherent in trying to codify creativity.

"The New Poetry Handbook" ultimately celebrates the contradictions of the poetic vocation. It acknowledges that poetry is at once isolating and connecting, profound and absurd, transcendent and trivial. Strand’s playful tone and sharp wit underscore the resilience of poetry and its practitioners, who continue to engage with their craft despite—or perhaps because of—its myriad challenges and paradoxes. Through this work, Strand affirms that poetry remains an essential, if enigmatic, part of human existence.

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