Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Song of the Windshield Wipers" by John Ashbery is a reflective and multifaceted poem that meanders through the landscapes of memory, reality, and imagination, evoking a sense of the transient and the enduring in human experiences and urban life. Ashbery's work is known for its complexity, and this poem is no exception, blending the mundane with the profound, the literal with the metaphorical, to explore themes of change, nostalgia, and the search for meaning within the flux of existence. Through an analysis of the poem's thematic concerns, its structure and form, and the stylistic elements that typify Ashbery's poetic voice, this examination aims to delve into the intricacies of "Song of the Windshield Wipers" and position it within the broader context of his work and contemporary poetry.

The poem begins with an evocation of keeping "old things / To practice on," immediately introducing the theme of continuity amidst change and the human inclination to cling to the familiar as a way of navigating the unknown. The mention of Susie coming into the "strange city" to have dinner serves as a focal point around which the poem's reflections on urban transformation and personal relationships orbit.

Ashbery's meditation on the inevitable decay of structures, whether they be chimneys needing attention or peaches ignored when ripe, underscores the poem's engagement with the passage of time and the often overlooked or neglected aspects of life and maintenance that accompany it. This reflection extends to the notion that "appearances / Do decide to vote for reality," suggesting a moment when the superficial or illusory gives way to the authentic, albeit in an environment where enthusiasm has waned.

The transformation of towers into "obelisks / By some force which confuses them" speaks to the disorientation and the reinterpretation of the urban landscape, where the familiar becomes strange, and the architectural becomes emblematic of deeper, potentially "embarrassing" truths about society's structures.

Ashbery's description of an old city where "nothing comes to surprise us" juxtaposes the monotony of the known with the brief intrusion of novelty—a "new building / That wasn’t there" before—only for this novelty to be snatched away, emphasizing the ephemeral nature of change and the dreamlike quality of urban existence.

The imagery of being "stranded on a beach" under an "almost-full moon" that "yawned" captures a sense of existential ennui and the longing for transcendence or understanding, which prompts a climb "Just to see what it is." This ascent, literal or metaphorical, reflects the human desire to confront and comprehend the mysteries that loom over our lives.

The poem's contemplation of "a currency of comfort and bad habits" as the standard for existence delves into the compromises and accommodations that shape human life, suggesting a resignation to the imperfections and limitations that define our reality.

Ashbery's invocation of "tentacles of the black rain / That is always outside, always" evokes the constant presence of threat or melancholy that surrounds human endeavors, against which the poem asserts a defiant claim to a place of belonging, a "sense of here," amidst the tumult of existence.

The closing stanzas, with their references to "calendulas staked out" and the act of chiding growth "like play, clay / Baked that day," capture the creative and constructive aspects of life, the shaping of experience into something enduring, even in the face of loneliness or happiness dictated by "the times."

The structure of "Song of the Windshield Wipers," characterized by free verse and a flowing, associative logic, mirrors the poem's thematic exploration of the fluid boundaries between the personal and the universal, the tangible and the imagined. This structural choice supports the poem's meditation on the layers of meaning that accrue in the interstices of everyday life and grand narratives.

Stylistically, the poem is marked by Ashbery's evocative language and his ability to blend the lyrical with the contemplative, inviting readers into a space of reflection and interpretation. His work challenges conventional understandings of poetry and its purposes, encouraging a personal and reflective engagement with its themes and questions.

In the broader context of Ashbery's oeuvre and postmodern literature, "Song of the Windshield Wipers" reflects the movement's engagement with questions of identity, the instability of language, and the fragmentary nature of reality. The poem, with its nuanced exploration of these themes and its open-endedness, exemplifies Ashbery's contribution to contemporary poetry's ongoing dialogue with the complexities of the human experience.

In conclusion, "Song of the Windshield Wipers" by John Ashbery stands as a meditation on the interplay of memory and anticipation, the seen and the unseen, and the search for meaning within the shifting landscapes of human experience. Through its intricate imagery, thematic depth, and stylistic innovation, the poem invites readers into a reflective engagement with the uncertainties and possibilities of existence, marking it as a significant work within Ashbery's distinguished body of work and the broader landscape of contemporary poetry.

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