Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

John Ashbery's "Business Personals" is a meditative and complex poem that delves into themes of memory, change, and the elusive nature of understanding. Known for his abstract and often surreal poetry, Ashbery crafts a narrative that is both enigmatic and evocative, inviting deep reflection on the nature of human experience and perception.

The poem begins with a reference to the "disquieting muses" and the concept of "leftovers," immediately establishing a tone of contemplation and the persistence of past influences. The mention of "Worn signs of privilege" and the "accumulation of age" suggests a meditation on the passage of time and the remnants of history that continue to shape the present.

The imagery of the "Floating heart" wandering aimlessly and the "tall guardians / Of yesterday" being as "steep as cliff shadows" captures the weight of history and tradition, and the sense of being overshadowed by the past.

The path leading downward to the harbor view symbolizes a journey towards understanding or resolution, albeit one that is steeped in the influences of the past.

Ashbery's mention of the need for "knees to be made strong, by running" and the offer of training and equipment playfully addresses the preparation required to face life's challenges. This section reflects the poem's exploration of personal growth and the pursuit of resilience.

The tent of silence with opaque walls, not revealing the road, and the melody climbing to its ceiling, evoke a sense of introspection and a retreat from the external world.

The description of songs climbing out of campfire flames as "Pale, pastel things exquisite in their frailness" introduces a motif of beauty and fragility. These songs mark the limits of our understanding of the world, like a "frieze of soap-bubbles."

The poem then shifts to a reflection on the beginning of caring, with only sedge and water, and the gradual development of the landscape. This could symbolize the formation of consciousness or the development of a worldview.

Ashbery's contemplation of the present building a "rampart against the past" speaks to the separation between past and present experiences and the delineation of personal history.

The focus on hobbies and the deepening color of shadows impregnating them suggests the immersion in personal interests as a way of making sense of life or finding solace.

The closing lines, describing the journey home and the transformation of the familiar into something altered and more complex, capture the poem's meditation on return, change, and the difficulty of reconciling past and present.

"Business Personals" is a reflective and layered poem that invites readers to ponder themes of memory, change, and the intricacies of understanding and interpreting life. Ashbery’s use of vivid imagery and abstract thought creates a narrative that resonates with the depth and complexity of the human condition.

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