Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Robert Creeley';s poem "Get It Anyway" is a brief, enigmatic piece that distills his characteristic minimalist style into a few lines, which convey both directness and ambiguity. At first glance, the poem';s simplicity invites various interpretations, but beneath its apparent straightforwardness lies a meditation on desire, survival, and the pursuit of satisfaction or fulfillment.

The imperative "Get it anyway" opens the poem with a sense of urgency. The use of "anyway" suggests a kind of relentlessness or determination—whatever "it" is, the speaker urges that it be attained by any means necessary. The vagueness of "it" leaves the reader to wonder what is being pursued, whether it be something material, emotional, or abstract. This ambiguity invites multiple interpretations, making "it" a stand-in for any number of human desires, goals, or needs. The imperative to "get it" reflects a kind of existential drive, a basic human instinct to pursue what is wanted or needed in life, even if the path to obtaining it is not straightforward or ideal.

The second part of the poem, "but first of all eat it," shifts the focus to consumption, grounding the abstract pursuit in something more tangible and physical. The act of eating suggests a basic necessity, a primal need. Food is not only essential for survival but also a symbol of satisfaction and fulfillment. By urging the reader to "eat it" before anything else, the speaker seems to prioritize immediate gratification or survival over other considerations. This could be read as a statement about human nature—that the fulfillment of basic needs (whether literal, like hunger, or metaphorical, like desire) takes precedence over more complex, secondary concerns.

At the same time, the phrase "eat it" introduces a sense of embodiment and physicality, reminding the reader that life is not just about abstract pursuits but about the immediate, visceral experience of being human. Creeley’s use of "eat" could be interpreted as a call to seize opportunities, to fully experience and consume whatever "it" may be, rather than hesitating or overthinking. The imperative to "eat it" could also suggest that the pursuit of desires is not enough on its own—it must be internalized, experienced, and consumed in order to have meaning or value.

Despite the poem’s brevity, it carries an underlying message about the tension between desire and fulfillment. The initial drive to "get it" is followed by the necessity to "eat it," suggesting that simply obtaining something is not enough—it must be made part of oneself, absorbed, and fully experienced in order to have true significance. This speaks to a broader existential concern: how often do we pursue things in life without fully appreciating or engaging with them once they are attained?

The minimalist form of the poem reinforces its message. Creeley strips away any unnecessary language, reducing the experience of desire and fulfillment to its most basic elements. The blunt, direct language mirrors the urgency of the message, and the lack of embellishment emphasizes the simplicity of the idea. In its brevity, the poem captures the essence of a human truth: life is about pursuing what we need and want, but it is also about consuming and experiencing those things fully.

In "Get It Anyway", Creeley uses just a few lines to explore the human drive for satisfaction, urging the reader to not only seek out what they desire but to fully engage with it, to "eat it" and make it their own. The poem is a meditation on desire, fulfillment, and the immediate physical experience of life, expressed with Creeley’s characteristic economy of language.

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