Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Besides Being Overheard" by Clark Coolidge is a playful and imaginative poem that delves into the themes of identity, confrontation, and the mythic landscape of the American West. Utilizing a pastiche of Western dialect, idiomatic expressions, and surreal imagery, Coolidge constructs a narrative that feels both familiar and otherworldly, echoing the tall tales and folklore of frontier life.

The poem begins with an authoritative demand from the "Red Mountain Honor Society," a fictional or symbolic entity that seems to exert control or judgment over the protagonist's actions. The request to "see your plans" and the mention of "the oven with additional holes in your filing station" immediately situates the reader in a world where ordinary objects and expectations are subverted, suggesting a deeper scrutiny or challenge to the protagonist's intentions or identity.

The phrase "the whole cheese around these parts" adds a humorous touch, playing with the idea of being a person of importance or notoriety in a local context. The subsequent warning to "sashay off this land" evokes the classic Western motif of territorial disputes and the outsider's challenge, setting the stage for a confrontation or journey.

Coolidge's use of colloquial language and Western slang, such as "alright travel! get that sleep wool out" and "chaw down on tetanus root and sit it out," further immerses the reader in the poem's setting, blending the absurd with the gritty realism of frontier life. These elements contribute to the creation of a vivid, albeit fantastical, landscape that is both threatening and comical.

The poem's narrative progresses through a series of challenges and evaluations, from the protagonist's reputation up north to their standing in the current locale ("you don't stack up deuce high down here"). The mention of "the Cassius of Bar None" and the description of the land as "a raw turf for old coots the whole country tied in ropes" adds layers of myth and legend to the poem's setting, suggesting a place where reputations are made and tested.

Coolidge skillfully weaves together themes of confrontation, reputation, and survival, with imagery of "riders / up to their necks in hot bacon" and the readiness "to draw down on this whole tar nation." These elements evoke the lawlessness and camaraderie of the Western frontier, where disputes are settled through force and wit.

The closing line, "and I hear Cassidy's waiting," leaves the poem on a note of anticipation and unresolved tension, hinting at a forthcoming encounter or showdown. This open-ended conclusion invites the reader to imagine the continuation of the narrative, further blurring the lines between reality and myth, the mundane and the extraordinary.

"Besides Being Overheard" is a testament to Coolidge's ability to play with language, genre, and imagery to create a poem that is at once a homage to and a deconstruction of the Western genre. Through its inventive use of dialect, surreal scenarios, and evocative imagery, the poem captures the essence of the American frontier mythos while offering a fresh and humorous take on the themes of identity and confrontation.

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