Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Beyond Words" by Kevin Young is a poignant exploration of the New York City underground art and music scene in the early 1980s, capturing the frenetic energy of a generation seeking expression and identity. With sharp wit and keen observation, Young constructs a visceral portrait of subcultures intersecting, of barriers being defied, and of voices clamoring to be heard in an environment that is at once chaotic and full of possibility.

Set in the Mudd Club's 4th-floor gallery in Manhattan, April 1981, the poem immediately places us in a specific time and location, a crucible of countercultural activity. From the graffiti artists tagging subway cars to the emergent figures of hip-hop, Young delineates a community engaged in acts of artistic rebellion and radical self-definition. The poem itself mimics the urgency and rhythm of the scenes it portrays, adopting a kinetic structure that seems to gyrate to the beats of a DJ's turntable.

Lines like "If you bomb / the IND / or tag the 2 / downtown" illustrate the art of graffiti as a form of 'bombing'-a metaphor that equates artistic creation with an act of radical disruption. In an environment that constantly seeks to marginalize them, these artists assert their presence in a way that can't be ignored. This form of art is a "calling"-a vocation that transcends the risks involved, elevating it to the level of sacred duty.

The poem pays homage to real-life figures like Fab 5 Freddy, Futura 2000, and Basquiat, situating them within this electric moment. It's a chronicle of names that had once been the province of local notoriety but were on the cusp of becoming globally recognized icons of urban culture. Young portrays these artists as the modern counterparts to ancient cave painters, an interesting juxtaposition that elevates street art to the realm of primordial human expression.

The line "DJ spinning / says my my. Pay attn.- / say, ain't that / Basquiat spinning" highlights the multifaceted talents of these artists, many of whom crossed disciplines, shattering the lines between what was considered high and low art. The art, the music, and the graffiti weren't separate worlds but part of a holistic expression of identity and resistance.

This interdisciplinary ethos is further emphasized by lines like "Freddy's painted / Campbell's Soup Cans that read / DADA & POP instead / of beef barley-" which allude to the intermingling of various art forms and philosophies, from Dadaism to Pop Art. Young encapsulates how the subversive and the commercial, the intellectual and the instinctual, coalesced in a single, turbulent milieu.

Finally, the poem's tone contains an undertone of prophecy, capturing a moment just before many of these subcultural elements would be commodified and integrated into mainstream culture. The artists are "blowing up," but in a way that retains their authenticity, even as they stand on the brink of wider recognition or commodification.

In "Beyond Words," Kevin Young gives us more than a vivid snapshot of a particular time and place; he provides a window into a world where art is an act of survival, resistance, and ultimate transcendence. The poem becomes a tribute to a seminal era in American art and culture, encapsulating its transformative energy in a way that is both exhilarating and thought-provoking.

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