Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Ice Cream," Robert Creeley constructs a dense, fragmented meditation on language, memory, authority, and identity. The poem employs a stream-of-consciousness style and disjointed imagery to explore the fluidity of perception and the interplay between reality and subjective experience. Creeley’s characteristic minimalism is at work here, but unlike some of his more linear, emotionally charged poems, "Ice Cream" revels in its own obscurity, inviting readers to grapple with seemingly disconnected thoughts and images.

The opening lines, "Sure, Herbert— / Take a bite—" introduce the reader to an ambiguous and casual directive. The name “Herbert” could refer to a specific person or a generalized figure, but it immediately personalizes the poem. This casual, conversational address invites the reader into a familiar scene, evoking the simplicity and shared act of eating ice cream. The phrase "Take a bite—" seems innocuous but contains an undercurrent of instruction, suggesting a gesture of trust or complicity in an otherwise lighthearted action.

The setting shifts in the next few lines: "The crowd / milling on the bridge, the night forms in / the air." Creeley’s use of enjambment here creates a sense of movement and continuity, as if the night itself is taking shape while people mill about. The image of a crowd on a bridge evokes a liminal space, a transitional place suspended between two points. The night, which “forms in the air,” suggests a subtle, almost organic change, and with it, a passage of time or mood. The poem then abruptly states, "So much has gone away," introducing a sense of loss or nostalgia into the mix, hinting at past events or emotions that linger beneath the surface of the speaker’s thoughts.

The line "Upside down forms faces" is evocative in its ambiguity, implying that perceptions are inverted or distorted. This image could suggest literal reflections in water, the trickery of shadows, or the disorienting nature of memories that have become skewed with time. It also hints at the poem’s broader theme of instability in perception—how reality and memory are subject to constant shifts and reinterpretations.

Creeley introduces a historical reference with the lines, "Letter to General Eisenhower from / General Mount- / batten." The mention of two prominent World War II military figures, Eisenhower and Mountbatten, carries a sense of authority and formal communication. However, the interruption of Mountbatten’s name over two lines fragments this authority, perhaps undermining its gravitas or emphasizing the breakdown of coherent narratives in the speaker’s consciousness. This historical allusion seems to sit at odds with the casual and whimsical tone of the previous lines, adding to the poem’s disjointedness and suggesting that the past, history, or authoritative narratives are not exempt from the speaker’s deconstruction of reality.

The abrupt phrase "Better / be right. Better batter bigger pancakes" juxtaposes the gravity of military authority with the whimsicality of breakfast food. Creeley’s play with sound in “better batter” adds a rhythmic and almost nonsensical quality to the poem, while the mention of “bigger pancakes” could symbolize a desire for simplicity or comfort amid chaos and uncertainty. This playful language breaks the seriousness of the historical reference, hinting at the absurdity of trying to reconcile the everyday with the monumental.

The line "You Chief / Eat It" introduces an authoritative voice, perhaps addressing a figure of power or significance. The command to “eat it” suggests a forceful assertion or an insistence on facing reality, however bitter or difficult it may be. This command also plays with notions of consumption—literal and metaphorical—where the act of eating becomes a means of confrontation or acceptance.

In the poem’s most abstract passage, Creeley writes: "Something that hasn’t as yet had chance to wants the possibility of asking if what might be might be, if what has to be is otherwise." This convoluted sentence expresses a desire for possibility and questioning of inevitability. The tangled syntax conveys uncertainty and a yearning to challenge established outcomes, reflecting the speaker’s struggle with reconciling reality and potentiality. The language here is dense and recursive, mirroring the complexity of existential or philosophical inquiry.

The poem concludes with a sudden shift in tone and imagery: "Oh so cute in your / gorgeous gown you were. / You were, you were, / you-are-or-you-were-you-were." These lines appear almost as a refrain, evoking a tender recollection of someone admired or cherished. The repetition of “you were” emphasizes the fleeting nature of the memory, while the hesitation in “you-are-or-you-were-you-were” reflects a confusion between past and present. This tension between what was and what is suggests the speaker’s ambivalence or difficulty in accepting change and the passing of time. The playful yet insistent repetition mirrors the earlier rhythmic play with language, reinforcing the instability of meaning throughout the poem.

In "Ice Cream," Creeley crafts a surreal and layered exploration of perception, authority, and the passage of time. The poem’s fragmented structure and abrupt shifts in tone evoke a sense of disorientation, mirroring the speaker’s attempt to reconcile conflicting emotions and memories. By juxtaposing everyday scenes and objects—ice cream, crowds, a bridge—with historical references and abstract musings, Creeley blurs the line between the mundane and the profound, suggesting that both are inseparable parts of the human experience.

The poem’s title, "Ice Cream," serves as a subtle metaphor for the fleeting and ephemeral nature of reality. Just as ice cream melts quickly, moments and memories dissolve and change shape over time, leaving behind only impressions and sensations. Creeley’s playful language and seemingly nonsensical phrasing encourage the reader to embrace ambiguity and to question the stability of their own perceptions.

Ultimately, "Ice Cream" is a meditation on the transient nature of existence and the challenges of holding onto anything with certainty. The poem’s disjointed images and fractured narrative reflect a world where meaning is continually shifting, and the only constant is the act of questioning itself. Creeley’s exploration of these themes invites readers to engage with uncertainty, to find beauty in dissonance, and to embrace the complexity of experience without the need for concrete resolutions.

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