Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

John Ashbery's poem "Anxiety and Hardwood Floors" presents a vivid and somewhat surreal exploration of personal experience, emotion, and perception. The poem, marked by Ashbery’s characteristic blend of abstract and concrete imagery, invites readers into a world where the boundaries between the internal and external, the real and the imagined, are fluid and often indistinct.

The opening line, "Only a breath of this region spindles me off and growing, yes, again," suggests a sense of being affected or transformed by one's surroundings. The use of "spindles" as a verb creates an image of being spun or turned in a new direction, evoking a feeling of disorientation or change.

The phrase "How fine to be late in the season where the hopeless hide their fetters in chains of golden hair" introduces a sense of melancholy beauty. The metaphor of hiding fetters (or restraints) in chains of golden hair suggests a veneer of attractiveness or normalcy that masks underlying struggles or constraints.

Ashbery's description of the air wanting "nothing to do with any of us" personifies the atmosphere as detached or indifferent, reinforcing a theme of alienation or disconnection. This contrasts with the speaker's self-identification as "the strong man at the post office," a seemingly random and surreal claim that adds to the poem's dreamlike quality.

The mention of the clock's nine o'clock chiming in with an affirmation of the speaker's identity further blurs the line between reality and imagination. This moment could symbolize a fleeting sense of self-assurance or clarity amidst the general uncertainty and ambiguity of the poem.

The living room, which the speaker says "he taunts me with," introduces an element of interpersonal tension or conflict. This space, typically associated with comfort and familiarity, becomes a site of emotional turmoil or provocation.

The image of the sun "abashed and unashamed, pummeling through the rusted curtains" is particularly striking. It presents a powerful visual contrast between the brightness and vitality of the sun and the decay represented by rusted curtains. This juxtaposition could reflect the coexistence of hope and despair, beauty and decay, in the human experience.

The concluding request, "Pass me that box of gin, will you?" adds a touch of the mundane and the self-medicating to the poem. It suggests a desire to escape or numb the complexities and anxieties articulated throughout the poem.

Overall, "Anxiety and Hardwood Floors" is a thought-provoking poem that combines surreal imagery with emotional depth. Ashbery's unique style creates a narrative that is both enigmatic and deeply resonant, inviting readers to engage with the nuances and complexities of emotional and perceptual experience. The poem encapsulates the feeling of grappling with internal anxieties in a world that is often indifferent and incomprehensible.

POEM TEXT:

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Can_You_Hear_Bird/RCl5BAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1

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