Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

John Ashbery's poem "But What Is the Reader to Make of This" is a reflective and complex exploration of perception, history, and the human experience. Known for his intricate and often abstract style, Ashbery weaves a tapestry of ideas and images that invite deep contemplation on the nature of reality and meaning.

The poem begins with the imagery of "A lake of pain, an absence / Leading to a flowering sea," suggesting a journey from suffering to something more promising or fertile. The instruction to give it a "quarter-turn" and watch centuries collapse through each other evokes a sense of historical perspective and the fluidity of time.

The transition to "this afternoon" and the description of "delicious few words spread around like jam" contrast the grand scale of history with the immediacy and simplicity of a present moment. This juxtaposition underscores the poem's exploration of the relationship between the personal and the historical.

The statement "We have lived blasphemously in history / And nothing has hurt us or can" reflects a sense of invulnerability or detachment from the events of the past. Yet, the warning about the "monstrous tenderness" suggests that there are still dangers or consequences to be reckoned with.

The poem's contemplation of facts seizing the web and leaving it as ash speaks to the destructive power of truth or reality, while the emphasis on the "personal, / Interior life" highlights the significance of individual experience and reflection.

The notion of "combinations of every extendable circumstance / In our lives" blowing like new leaves and the battle at the edge of a forest symbolize the ongoing struggles and complexities of life, both internal and external.

The realization that "we're the background, / On the outside looking out" captures a sense of alienation or detachment from the larger narrative of history or society.

The surprises of history compared to the shock from each other reflect the intensity and unpredictability of personal relationships and individual encounters.

Ashbery's commentary on time wearing "The colors of meanness and melancholy" and the general life being "many sizes too big" speaks to the challenges and inadequacies of fitting into the world or comprehending its full scope.

The poem concludes with the idea that life has style, "woven of things that never happened / With those that did," suggesting that our understanding of reality is a blend of imagination and actual events. The desire to "Make it sweet again" reflects a longing for simplicity, clarity, or positivity in the face of life's complexities and ambiguities.

"But What Is the Reader to Make of This" is a thought-provoking poem that invites readers to ponder the intricacies of perception, history, and the human condition. Ashbery’s use of vivid imagery and abstract thought creates a narrative that resonates with the depth and complexity of human experience and understanding.

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