Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

John Ashbery’s "Chronic Symbiosis" is a poem that delves into themes of memory, identity, creation, and the passage of time. Characteristic of Ashbery’s style, the poem is a tapestry of vivid imagery and abstract thought, weaving together a narrative that is both evocative and enigmatic.

The opening line, "These things can be arranged, he said," suggests a sense of control or manipulation of circumstances, immediately followed by the statement "Besides, glitter has become reasonable again." This juxtaposition of the mundane and the whimsical sets the tone for a poem that explores the interplay between the ordinary and the extraordinary.

The mention of plagiarism and joy in "never knowing, in having once known, and in its still not being too late to know" introduces a complex contemplation of knowledge and understanding. This reflects the human experience of learning and forgetting, of the continuous pursuit of understanding in a world that is often confusing and contradictory.

The speaker’s reflection on childhood, with some children liked and others not as much, and the road to living "sped ever onward, brambles in its hair," evokes a sense of life's journey being both beautiful and fraught with difficulty. The imagery of dark patches under trees where no moon shines adds a layer of mystery and the unknown.

The idea of summoning all objects from their shelves, "sucked with us into the vacuum-cleaner bag / the open road is," suggests a collection of experiences and memories that are carried along life’s journey. This imagery speaks to the accumulation of life’s moments, both significant and trivial.

The request for a story to be repeated with minor variations reflects the nature of storytelling and memory, where each retelling is a reinterpretation of events. This could be seen as a metaphor for how individuals construct their own narratives from shared experiences.

The description of rakes and shovels with a special lustre "that they can’t know" personifies these objects, imbuing them with a sense of presence and unknowing participation in human activities.

The poem shifts to a more personal narrative of being "spirited away by a handsome enchanter / to a medium-sized city not twenty miles from here." This sudden change in setting and the mention of living life "as I can hear and smell it" bring a sensory and immediate quality to the poem.

The speaker’s self-description as "no grouch, yet hardly an earth-mother either" and the reference to most plagiarists writing "steadily away in a barn" speaks to the theme of creation and the mundane aspects of the creative process. The barn, with straw and barn swallows, symbolizes a simple, unpretentious environment for creation, free from the need for inspiration or imagination.

The final lines, "We have everything / we need for today. We can feed it to crows," suggest a sense of sufficiency and acceptance of the present moment. This acceptance, combined with the image of feeding experiences or creations to crows, evokes a sense of release and the cyclical nature of life and art.

"Chronic Symbiosis" is a contemplative and layered poem that invites the reader to ponder themes of memory, identity, the creative process, and the journey of life. Ashbery’s use of vivid imagery and abstract thought creates a narrative that resonates with the complexity and richness of the human experience.

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