Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Robert Creeley’s poem "It" is a compact, enigmatic meditation on emotions such as frustration, helplessness, and the elusive nature of understanding. True to Creeley’s minimalist style, the poem employs a sparse language and fragmented form, allowing each line to hold a weighty resonance. The lack of excess creates an emotional tension that permeates the poem, pushing the reader to uncover the deeper layers of feeling and meaning embedded within these concise lines.

The poem opens with "Nothing there / in absence as, / unfelt, it / repeated itself—". Right from the beginning, the reader is confronted with the paradoxical presence of an "absence." This concept of nothingness is not merely a void but a dynamic force that "repeated itself." Creeley sets up a situation in which the speaker experiences an absence not as emptiness but as an oppressive and persistent entity. The use of enjambment in these opening lines creates a sense of continuation, mirroring the inescapable nature of this "it." The word "unfelt" suggests that whatever this absence represents—be it emotional distance, an unresolved issue, or a lingering memory—it goes unnoticed or unacknowledged, yet it persists in its repetition. This dynamic suggests an invisible force influencing the speaker’s experience, creating tension through the repetition of "it."

The speaker’s response to this persistent absence is conveyed in the following lines, "I saw it, / felt it, / wanted / to belt it—". Here, the speaker transitions from a state of unawareness ("unfelt") to a conscious recognition of "it." There is a shift from passive observation ("saw it") to an active, physical experience ("felt it"). The desire to "belt it" reveals the speaker’s frustration and anger towards this elusive "it," indicating a growing intensity of emotion. The choice of the word "belt" is aggressive, suggesting the speaker’s urge to exert control or force upon something that remains intangible. This desire to strike or overpower "it" underscores a deeper sense of helplessness and agitation in the face of a perceived injustice or lingering presence.

The tone of the poem shifts abruptly with the exclamation, "Oh love, you / watch, you / are so / 'patient'—". Here, the speaker addresses "love" directly, personifying it as a passive observer. This direct address introduces a new dimension to the poem, hinting that the struggle against "it" is not merely a personal, internal conflict but also a relational one. The quotation marks around "patient" indicate a sense of irony or dissatisfaction with love’s inaction. By placing this word in quotes, Creeley suggests that the speaker perceives this patience as a kind of passive complicity, an unwillingness to intervene or to act. Love, in this context, seems detached, standing idly by as the speaker grapples with their inner turmoil.

The final lines, "Or what / word makes my / malice / more," conclude the poem with a question that leaves the reader in a state of unresolved tension. The speaker questions the adequacy of language, pondering what word could adequately capture or intensify their malice. This reflection on the limits of language suggests that the speaker’s emotional state cannot be fully articulated or understood through words alone. The poem ends on an ambiguous note, with the speaker acknowledging that their malice or anger is perhaps beyond the reach of language, beyond the simple expression of emotions through words.

Creeley’s choice of form reinforces the themes of frustration and uncertainty within the poem. The use of short lines and enjambment creates a sense of fragmentation, mirroring the speaker’s fragmented emotional state. Each line carries a heavy emotional weight, yet the breaks between them leave the reader in a state of suspense, emphasizing the difficulty of grasping or articulating "it." The poem’s free verse structure allows the language to flow without a predictable rhythm or rhyme, reinforcing the sense of unease and lack of resolution.

Thematically, "It" grapples with the experience of confronting something intangible and unresolved within oneself or within a relationship. The elusive "it" could be interpreted as a metaphor for an unspoken resentment, an emotional void, or even an existential sense of meaninglessness. The speaker’s repeated attempts to recognize, feel, and ultimately control "it" reflect a struggle against something that defies easy comprehension or containment. The frustration and desire to "belt it" suggest a longing for agency and understanding in the face of this persistent force, while the presence of "love" as a passive observer complicates this dynamic, introducing questions about complicity and inaction.

Creeley’s language is deliberately ambiguous, encouraging multiple interpretations of what "it" represents. The tension between the speaker’s emotions and the detached patience of "love" raises questions about the nature of relationships and the role of passive observation in perpetuating unresolved conflicts. The speaker’s closing question about language highlights the inadequacy of words to fully capture or convey complex emotions, reinforcing the sense of futility that runs throughout the poem.

In essence, "It" is a meditation on the elusive nature of emotions and the difficulty of articulating inner conflicts that remain unresolved or unacknowledged. Creeley’s minimalist style and fragmented form invite readers to engage with the poem’s ambiguities and to reflect on their own experiences of confronting intangible forces within themselves or their relationships. Through its sparse language and deliberate ambiguity, "It" captures the frustration, anger, and helplessness that arise when faced with something persistent and unseen—a lingering absence that refuses to be named or controlled.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...