Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Robert Creeley’s poem "It Is Funny -- Strange -- to See the Young" offers a meditation on the cycles of life and the contrasts between youth and age. The poem’s sparse yet evocative language captures the complexities of witnessing youth while feeling the weight of aging. Creeley’s characteristic approach, marked by simplicity of language and depth of emotional insight, allows the reader to explore themes of change, inevitability, and the passage of time.

The title "It Is Funny -- Strange -- to See the Young" introduces an immediate contrast between amusement and a sense of dissonance. By using the phrase "funny -- strange," Creeley signals the speaker’s mixed emotions, implying that observing the young is both a familiar and unsettling experience. This dichotomy prepares the reader for a poem that juxtaposes the vitality of youth with the frailty of age, and the inevitability of life’s cyclical nature.

In the opening lines, "to see the young / swirl-leaves, they might be said to be, / in a current of our own," Creeley uses a metaphor that aligns youth with swirling leaves. This imagery suggests the movement, energy, and unpredictability of the young, as they are carried along by the "current" created by the older generations. The choice of leaves evokes images of autumn, reinforcing the theme of cycles and the natural progression from vitality to decay. The phrase "in a current of our own" implies a separation between generations, hinting at the older generation’s role in shaping and being shaped by the presence of youth. The speaker seems to observe these young people as part of a continuous flow of life, where the older and younger coexist within the same current, yet experience it differently.

Creeley introduces a contrast in the next lines, describing "the limp gestures of older persons, / the hands unable to hold them." Here, the physical descriptions emphasize the frailty and limitations of age. The word "limp" conveys a lack of strength or vitality, a stark contrast to the swirling motion of the young. The older individuals’ hands are "unable to hold them," which suggests not only a physical inability but also an emotional or psychological distance. There is a sense of resignation or helplessness in these lines, as if the older generation is struggling to maintain a connection with the youth or to exert influence over them. This image evokes a poignant awareness of aging and the diminishing power to grasp or control the passing of time and the flow of life.

The phrase "all the world in a flaccid attentiveness" captures a broader sense of detachment or passivity. Creeley’s choice of the word "flaccid" reinforces the idea of weakness or lack of vitality, suggesting a world that watches without actively engaging. This line conveys a feeling of disconnection, as if the world has grown weary or indifferent in its observation of youth and change. The speaker’s tone is one of melancholy acceptance, recognizing the inevitability of this state and the difficulty of maintaining an active, vigorous engagement with life as one ages.

The final lines, "Now it is fall, / and one must yield again to the end of a cycle, / call it spring, and its endless instances," bring the poem’s themes of cycles and inevitability to a close. The speaker acknowledges the arrival of autumn, a season traditionally associated with decline, endings, and preparation for the cold of winter. Yet, in Creeley’s construction, fall is not solely an ending; it is part of a larger, continuous cycle. The phrase "one must yield again" conveys a sense of resignation and acceptance of the natural order of things. The use of "again" emphasizes the repetition and inevitability of these cycles.

By saying "call it spring, and its endless instances," Creeley shifts the focus to spring, a season symbolizing renewal, growth, and new beginnings. This duality of fall and spring, endings and beginnings, reinforces the cyclical nature of life. However, the phrase "its endless instances" suggests that while each season may be part of a broader cycle, each moment within that cycle is unique and fleeting. Creeley’s word choice highlights the paradox of cycles—where repetition and novelty coexist, creating a tension between the continuous passage of time and the fleeting nature of individual moments.

Creeley’s free verse structure and enjambment contribute to the poem’s sense of fluidity and movement. The lack of a consistent rhyme scheme or meter reflects the irregular and unpredictable nature of life’s cycles. The poem’s form allows the reader to experience each line as a separate thought or observation, while the enjambment creates a sense of continuity and flow. This structure mirrors the themes of the poem, reinforcing the idea of a current that carries both the young and the old along its path.

The language in "It Is Funny -- Strange -- to See the Young" is deliberately simple yet evocative. Creeley’s choice of words like "swirl-leaves," "limp gestures," and "flaccid attentiveness" conveys complex emotional states without over-explanation. The poem’s ambiguity invites the reader to engage with its images and ideas, leaving room for multiple interpretations of the relationships between youth, age, and the passage of time.

In essence, "It Is Funny -- Strange -- to See the Young" explores the cyclical nature of life and the contrasting experiences of youth and age. The poem’s imagery and language capture the vitality of the young and the frailty of the old, while its structure reflects the fluid, continuous flow of life’s cycles. Creeley’s meditation on these themes is both melancholy and accepting, acknowledging the inevitability of change and the difficulty of maintaining connections across generations. By juxtaposing the energy of youth with the resignation of age, Creeley invites the reader to reflect on their own place within the current of life and to contemplate the complex, ever-repeating dance of endings and beginnings.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...