Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Purists Will Object" by John Ashbery is a provocative and visually rich poem that explores themes of consumerism, cultural change, and the tension between traditional values and modern desires. Ashbery, renowned for his complex and often enigmatic poetry, crafts a narrative that is both a critique and a reflection on the allure and consequences of contemporary life.

The poem opens with a direct address that captures the commodification of aesthetics and identity: "We have the looks you want." The mention of "The gonzo" with musculature connected to the stars, and colors like "lead, khaki and pomegranate," immediately immerses the reader in a world where physical appearance and material possessions are paramount. These descriptions evoke a sense of the extreme and the eclectic, suggesting a culture obsessed with novelty and external appearances.

The "bankruptcy, the human haul" metaphorically represents the emptiness or moral insolvency that accompanies the relentless pursuit of material wealth and status. The image of "shining, bulging nets lifted out of the sea" with refugees slipping back into a "no-longer-mirthful kingdom" highlights the disparities and losses inherent in such pursuits, juxtaposing the abundance of the catch with the individuals who fall through the cracks.

The sale of an old house and the construction of additions in the name of creating a "pornographic masterpiece" suggest a society driven by consumption and exhibitionism, where personal and architectural expansions serve as symbols of success and excess. The "variegated, polluted skyscraper" to which all gazes are drawn embodies the pinnacle of this spectacle, representing both attraction and repulsion, a pleasure from which escape is neither possible nor desired.

As the poem shifts to the personal experience of "going home," the sensory details of "blossoming privet" and "green and aqueous" traffic lights contrast the earlier images of excess and spectacle, offering a moment of tranquility and perhaps nostalgia for a simpler existence. Yet, this return to the "subterranean life" raises questions about the relevance and utility of such experiences in a world dominated by the "demotic" – the common, the popular, and the enduring.

The rhetorical question, "If it can't be conjugated onto us, what good is it?" challenges the value of experiences or knowledge that cannot be directly applied or integrated into one's life. The poem concludes with a reflection on the obsolescence of purism in a culture where the vernacular is built to outlast us, and "no dialect hears us," suggesting a disconnection from traditional forms of expression and understanding.

In summary, "Purists Will Object" by John Ashbery is a thought-provoking meditation on the complexities of modern culture, marked by a tension between the allure of the new and the ephemeral and the enduring quest for meaning and authenticity. Through vivid imagery and nuanced reflection, Ashbery invites readers to contemplate the impact of consumerism, the shifting landscapes of identity and value, and the place of the individual within the sprawling spectacle of contemporary life.

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