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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
"Being Taught" by Dick Allen intricately explores the complexities of human life and the ways in which it can be captured, understood, or summarized. Allen delves into the art of storytelling, whether through novels, poetry, or the silent narratives we construct about the people we observe. The poem reflects on the richness of life's tapestry and the often ineffable nature of existence, conveyed through the lens of a narrator who engages in a thought-provoking conversation with a novelist. The poem opens with the novelist sharing his perspective on encapsulating entire lives within succinct sentences, illustrating how brief expressions can suggest the depth and nuance of individual experiences. This idea serves as a springboard into a broader contemplation of how art, in its various forms, attempts to grasp and convey the essence of life. The reference to haikus and Japanese art further underscores the global and timeless human endeavor to express the inexpressible, to find language for the vastness of human experience. As the narrator and the novelist wander through a Chicago mall, the setting becomes a microcosm of humanity, with each person they encounter potentially embodying a unique story distilled into a single sentence. This scene vividly illustrates the theme of observation and interpretation, highlighting our tendency to create stories about others based on fleeting impressions. The poet's self-reflective questions and observations about identity and existence ("If I'm honest with myself, I'll disappear") add layers of introspection and existential inquiry to the poem. The casual setting of a cheap steak place juxtaposed with profound reflections on life and art emphasizes the idea that moments of deep insight can occur in the most mundane circumstances. The waitress, the salesman, the girl swearing at a mannequin—all become characters in the novelist's and narrator's ongoing quest to understand the human condition through observation and narrative. "Being Taught" culminates in a poignant reflection on the desire for one's own life to be summarized in a way that captures both its rawness and beauty. The final image of the poet and the novelist parting ways, with the novelist's metaphor of work as a departing ship, encapsulates the longing for connection and understanding in a world where everyone is, in some sense, adrift in their own narratives. Overall, Dick Allen's poem is a meditation on the act of storytelling as a means of seeking understanding and connection in the vast, often inscrutable expanse of human experience. It invites readers to consider the stories we tell about ourselves and others, and the profound, albeit elusive, truths those stories might hold.
| Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FIELDS OF LEARNING by JOSEPHINE MILES HONORING THE SAND; IN MEMORY OF JOSEPH CAMPBELL by ROBERT BLY DIASPORA by ALICIA SUSKIN OSTRIKER THE GREAT MIGRATION by MINNIE BRUCE PRATT FURTHER ADVANTAGES OF LEARNING by KENNETH REXROTH THE ADVANTAGES OF LEARNING by KENNETH REXROTH MR. WADE, TYPING TEACHER by VIRGIL SUAREZ |
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