Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Story" by Fred Chappell is a whimsical and metaphorical narrative that traces the life journey of a story, anthropomorphizing it as a character that evolves and transforms through various stages and social settings. Beginning in the humble, domestic sphere of a farmer's wife, the story is initially a simple tale shared during mundane tasks, embedded with elements of folklore like wise ravens and a witch. This origin in oral tradition represents the story's roots in communal and family storytelling, where tales are imbued with moral and fantastical elements.

As the story ventures beyond the farmer's household, it is adopted and embellished by palace waiting maids, gaining new features such as magic golden rings and a prince. This evolution reflects the story's adaptation to different audiences and contexts, gaining complexity and appeal that elevate it from a simple folk tale to a story fit for nobility. The addition of magical elements and royalty signifies the story's universality and its ability to adapt and thrive in varied cultural soils.

Further transformation occurs when the story enters the household of a jolly merchant, where it is personified as a guest of honor, indulged with comforts and humor. This phase symbolizes the story's incorporation into the bourgeois and its role in entertaining and moralizing within a more materialistic and prosperous setting. The introduction of a comic chambermaid and a fat gray goose adds layers of humor and physicality, enriching the narrative.

However, the story's journey takes a darker turn as it falls in with "dissolute poets," who infuse it with moonlight, fever, and challenging vocabulary. This stage represents the story's passage through the realm of high art and literary experimentation, where it is imbued with complexity, emotional depth, and perhaps a touch of obscurity. The poets' influence marks the story's peak of artistic refinement but also introduces elements of fragility and vulnerability.

In its final phase, the story becomes "old and haggard," associating with disreputable characters in a setting that suggests decay and moral ambiguity. This decline reflects the story's fall from grace, its descent into the underbelly of society where it is no longer revered but instead becomes a cautionary tale of excess and loss.

The novelists' discovery of the story in Rattlebone Alley symbolizes the cyclical nature of storytelling and the potential for renewal. Despite its debauched state, the story's essence remains, ready to be reimagined and reborn through the novelists' craft. This ending speaks to the resilience of narratives, their ability to be reshaped and revitalized across generations, and the continuous human need to tell and retell stories.

"Story" by Fred Chappell is a meta-narrative that celebrates the transformative power of storytelling, its journey through different cultural landscapes, and its ability to reflect the complexities of human experience. Through its allegorical journey, the poem underscores the mutable yet enduring nature of stories and their intrinsic value to human culture.

POEM TEXT: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Yellow_Shoe_Poets/2D6aqhb651oC?q=BACA+%22MEN+LATE+AT+NIGHT+COOK+COFFEE+IN+RUSTY+CANS%22&gbpv=1&bsq=THE%20STORY#f=false

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