Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Robert Creeley’s poem "All Wall" is a raw exploration of the relentless, unforgiving nature of time and the sense of helplessness that comes with being trapped within its flow. Creeley, a key figure of the Black Mountain poets, is known for his minimalist approach, utilizing stark and pared-down language that conveys complex emotional landscapes. In this poem, he captures an overwhelming, almost claustrophobic sense of time, experienced as both a burden and a void. The poem presents time not as a continuum filled with opportunities, but rather as an antagonist, a wall that confines and disorients.

"All Wall" has a form that mirrors the chaotic, restless energy of its themes. Creeley uses repetition, disjointed phrasing, and the lack of punctuation to evoke a sense of being overwhelmed by time. The language is fragmented, and the lines run into each other, giving the poem a breathless quality. The reader is drawn into a frenzied state, in which time is not experienced as a linear sequence but as an oppressive, unending present. The repetition of the word "time" emphasizes its inescapable nature; it almost acts as a tolling bell, marking each moment of anxiety and hopelessness.

The poem begins with the phrase "Vertical skull time," which sets a somber and menacing tone. The image of a "skull" suggests mortality, and its verticality could symbolize an insurmountable wall, emphasizing the impasse that time presents. The following words—"weather blast bombastic disaster impasse time"—create a barrage of negative imagery, underscoring the hostile and chaotic nature of time. The use of such compounded phrases without any connective punctuation reflects the sense of being bombarded, as if there is no relief or space to process each emotion before the next one hits.

Creeley’s use of repetition continues throughout the poem, as seen in the lines "like an inside out and back down again design, / despair ready wear impacted beware scare time." Here, the repetition and internal rhyme, such as "wear" and "scare," create a looping effect, giving the impression of being caught in a cycle of despair. Time becomes something to be feared, something that traps the speaker in a state of disorientation. The phrase "old Halloween time" evokes imagery of disguise and deception, suggesting that time plays tricks on the speaker, appearing familiar yet ultimately elusive and unsettling.

The stanza "people all gone away and won’t be back time, / no answer weeks later empty gone out dead" conveys a profound sense of abandonment. The speaker feels isolated, surrounded by emptiness, as people "won’t be back" and attempts to reach out are met with silence—"no answer weeks later." The juxtaposition of "gone out dead / a minute ahead of your call just keeps on ringing time" highlights the futility of attempting to connect in a world dominated by an indifferent and unresponsive time. The phone that "keeps on ringing" becomes a symbol of this futile longing, as if there is always something just out of reach, forever ahead of the speaker.

The poem reaches a point of personal despair in the lines "I’m can’t find my way back again time, / I’m sure it was here but now I can’t find it time." The speaker';s confusion and disorientation are palpable; the use of the contraction "I’m" rather than "I can';t" reinforces a sense of fragmentation, as if even the speaker’s identity is uncertain. The repetition of "can’t find" highlights a profound sense of loss—not just of direction, but perhaps of purpose or meaning as well. The following line, "I’m a drag and sick and losing again wasted time," suggests a deep self-loathing and frustration with the self’s inability to escape this cycle.

Creeley shifts the tone slightly when he introduces the second-person "You" in the line "You’re the one can haul me out and start it over again / Time." This line implies the presence of another—perhaps a loved one, perhaps an imagined savior—who might provide the hope of a fresh start. However, the capitalization of "Time" at the end of the line suggests that this hope is also conditioned by the inevitability of time. The hope of starting over is tempered by the knowledge that time’s march is relentless and inescapable.

The poem concludes with a litany of "too much time too little / not enough too much still to go time," where Creeley presents time as an unresolvable paradox—always either too much or too little, yet never sufficient or satisfying. The closing phrases, "and time after time and not done yet time / nothing left time to go time. Time," underscore the sense of exhaustion. The repetition of "time" becomes almost hypnotic, giving the impression of finality, as if the speaker is worn out from the effort of contending with its demands. The punctuation of the final word "Time" with a period brings a sense of forced closure, a recognition that there is no escaping its pervasive influence.

"All Wall" is thus a meditation on the oppressive nature of time, capturing the despair and frustration of being ensnared in its flow. Creeley’s minimalist and fragmented style effectively conveys the disorientation and helplessness of the speaker, creating a powerful emotional impact. The poem';s lack of punctuation, rapid shifts in imagery, and relentless repetition all serve to reinforce the sense of entrapment, making "All Wall" a stark reflection on the human condition and our perpetual struggle against the inexorability of time.

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