Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Autumn Basement" by John Ashbery is a poem that deftly blends the abstract with the concrete, creating a tapestry of images and ideas that defy linear interpretation. Ashbery's work often challenges traditional poetic structures, and this poem is no exception, with its shifting scenes and elusive meanings.

The poem opens with a sense of loss and disorientation: "I lost my notes, or they were useless." This line immediately sets a tone of uncertainty and ambiguity, themes that are prevalent throughout Ashbery's poetry. The reference to scribbling a number on a baggage claim further adds to the sense of transient existence, of being in between places or states of being.

The countess' remark about being "dipped in aspic" conjures an image of preservation and stasis, suggesting that the speaker is trapped or immobilized in some way. This feeling of being stuck is contrasted with the image of a rag chairperson who gives the speaker the runaround, adding a sense of movement and chaos to the poem.

The poem then shifts to a more surreal landscape, with the mention of a diamond stickpin and a barrel vault, which seem to belong to a different time and place. These images, combined with the references to capers with rabbit for supper and the changing of the seasons, create a sense of time passing in a dreamlike, almost nonsensical manner.

The mention of August and September brings the poem back to a more tangible reality, grounding the surreal imagery in the passage of time and the changing of seasons. The "packet of unscented breeze" and the notion that "salt should be savory" further blur the lines between the senses, adding to the poem's dreamlike quality.

The poem concludes with the lights of a moving picture and the idea of finding a way out of a "shimmering maze." This image suggests a search for clarity or understanding in a world that is constantly shifting and changing. The final lines, "Pity we can’t/lingo here forever, but no one lives forever,/or so I’ve been told," bring the poem to a close with a sense of resignation and acceptance of the impermanence of life and the elusive nature of understanding.

Overall, "Autumn Basement" is a complex and enigmatic poem that invites multiple interpretations. Ashbery's use of vivid imagery, combined with a disjointed narrative structure, creates a richly layered piece that reflects the complexities and uncertainties of human experience. The poem challenges the reader to embrace ambiguity and to find meaning in the interplay of concrete and abstract elements.

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