Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Two Sonnets: 1. Dido" by John Ashbery delves into themes of self-destruction, imperfection, and the inherent contradictions within human nature. The poem, reflective of Ashbery's complex and nuanced approach to poetry, employs the mythological figure of Dido—Queen of Carthage, who famously died of a broken heart after Aeneas left her—to explore deeper existential and philosophical concerns.

The opening lines, "The body’s products become / Fatal to it. Our spit / Would kill us, but we / Die of our heat," speak to the paradox of human existence. The very things that are a part of us and necessary for our survival can also harm us or lead to our downfall. This concept is extended metaphorically to encompass emotional and intellectual outputs, suggesting that the internal passions and thoughts that define our humanity are also what ultimately contribute to our demise.

Ashbery's use of the phrase "Die of our heat" could be interpreted in several ways—literal physical heat as a byproduct of metabolic processes, or metaphorically as the passion, intensity, and emotional fervor that characterize human life. This line captures the essence of human fragility and the inevitable decay that accompanies life's fervency.

The speaker's admission, "Though I say the things I wish to say / They are needless, their own flame conceives it," reflects on the futility of expression and the realization that words and desires, though earnestly felt and conveyed, are ultimately consumed by their own intensity. This could also imply that the act of expression, or the pursuit of articulating one's innermost thoughts and feelings, often falls short of achieving its intended perfection or completeness.

"So I am cheated of perfection," the poem concludes, encapsulating a sense of resignation and unfulfilled potential. This line suggests that the pursuit of perfection, whether in expression, in relationships, or in the endeavor to understand and articulate the human condition, is inherently flawed and doomed to incompleteness. The use of the word "cheated" implies a betrayal, not necessarily by an external force but perhaps by the very nature of existence and the limitations imposed by our human form and psyche.

Through "Two Sonnets: 1. Dido," Ashbery explores the intricate relationship between creation and destruction, expression and silence, longing and fulfillment. The poem serves as a meditation on the human condition, marked by a perpetual striving for perfection in the face of inherent imperfection and the ultimate acceptance of this paradox as a fundamental aspect of life.

POEM TEXT: https://ashberyhouse.yale.edu/two-sonnets

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