Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Robert Creeley’s "Myself" is a reflective poem that contemplates the passage of time, the evolution of dreams, and the struggle to reconcile youthful ideals with the realities of experience. Through sparse language and contemplative imagery, Creeley examines the disillusionment that often accompanies age, while also grappling with timeless questions about human suffering and the enduring search for understanding. Drawing on both personal reflection and literary allusion, particularly to Percy Bysshe Shelley, Creeley creates a meditation on identity, hope, and the limitations of human understanding.

The poem begins with a direct acknowledgment of the shift from youthful optimism to mature awareness: "What, younger, felt was possible, now knows is not—but still not changed enough—" This line captures a universal experience of growing older, where the boundless possibilities once felt in youth are tempered by the knowledge of limitations. The phrase "now knows is not" implies a sobering realization, as if the speaker has come to terms with the inevitability of certain constraints. However, the follow-up phrase "but still not changed enough" suggests a lingering attachment to those youthful ideals. Despite the acceptance of certain limits, the speaker retains a desire to believe in potential, indicating a sense of internal conflict between reality and aspiration.

The line "Walked by the sea, unchanged in memory—" introduces a powerful image of constancy, as the sea represents a timeless and unchanging force in the speaker’s memory. The act of walking by the sea evokes a sense of contemplation, as if the speaker finds solace or familiarity in this natural setting. However, the qualifier "in memory" reveals that this experience of constancy may exist only in the speaker’s mind, contrasting with the ongoing changes in his internal world. The sea, vast and unchanging, serves as a counterpoint to the speaker’s inner turmoil, reflecting the persistence of certain memories and ideals even as time reshapes their meanings.

The following lines—"evening, as clouds on the far-off rim of water float, pictures of time, smoke, faintness—still the dream."—paint an ethereal image of the evening sky over the sea, where clouds float on the horizon like "pictures of time." This image suggests that the clouds represent shifting moments, fleeting yet evocative of larger, intangible concepts like memory and transience. The reference to "smoke, faintness" reinforces this sense of ephemerality, as if the past, like smoke, can be seen but never grasped. Yet, "still the dream" implies that these images persist within the speaker’s imagination, suggesting that dreams and ideals, while intangible, continue to shape the speaker’s understanding of himself and the world.

The speaker’s desire to understand the nature of human suffering and disillusionment is expressed in the lines "I want, if older, still to know why, human, men and women are so torn, so lost, why hopes cannot find better world than this." This yearning for understanding indicates that age has not diminished the speaker’s curiosity or empathy. The repetition of "why" reflects a sense of frustration and confusion, as if these questions remain unresolved despite the speaker’s years of reflection. The description of people as "torn, so lost" evokes a sense of collective despair or inner conflict, highlighting the speaker’s sensitivity to the struggles of humanity. This sentiment suggests a lingering idealism, as the speaker wonders why human aspirations have not succeeded in creating a "better world." Despite acknowledging the limitations of youth, the speaker retains a deep-seated hope that humanity could transcend its suffering.

The final lines reference Percy Bysshe Shelley, whose words articulate a critique of society’s failure to foster true self-awareness: "Shelley is dead and gone, who said, 'Taught them not this— / to know themselves; LATER their might / Could not repress the mutiny within, / And for the morn of truth they feigned, deep night / Caught them ere evening . . .'" By invoking Shelley, Creeley draws on the Romantic poet’s critique of a society that lacks genuine understanding and self-awareness. Shelley’s words suggest that humanity’s failure to "know themselves" leads to internal rebellion, a "mutiny within" that cannot be controlled or suppressed. The phrase "for the morn of truth they feigned" implies a pretense of seeking truth, yet "deep night / Caught them ere evening" conveys a sense of disillusionment, as darkness overtakes their pursuit before they can achieve enlightenment.

In referencing Shelley’s vision of humanity’s flawed quest for self-knowledge, Creeley underscores his own contemplations on the nature of identity and aspiration. Shelley’s words serve as both a lament and a warning, reflecting the poet’s conviction that society’s failure to cultivate genuine understanding leads to darkness and despair. By aligning his reflections with Shelley’s, Creeley suggests that his own questions about human suffering and hope are part of a long tradition of philosophical and poetic inquiry. The reference to Shelley highlights the continuity of these questions across generations, emphasizing that the search for meaning and self-understanding is both timeless and deeply personal.

Structurally, "Myself" follows Creeley’s characteristic style of fragmented, enjambed lines that create a sense of immediacy and introspection. The poem’s short lines and lack of punctuation allow thoughts to flow organically, mirroring the speaker’s reflective process as he moves between memories, ideals, and philosophical questions. This fragmented structure reinforces the poem’s themes of incompleteness and uncertainty, as if the speaker is continually circling around questions that cannot be fully answered.

Thematically, the poem explores the tension between youthful idealism and mature awareness, as well as the persistent human desire for self-understanding and a better world. The speaker’s reflections on memory and change suggest that while certain ideals may fade or transform over time, the core questions about identity, hope, and suffering remain. By invoking Shelley’s critique of society’s failure to foster self-awareness, Creeley connects his personal reflections to broader philosophical concerns, positioning himself within a tradition of poets who grapple with the limitations and aspirations of humanity.

In conclusion, Robert Creeley’s "Myself" is a reflective meditation on the evolution of ideals, the persistence of memory, and the enduring questions of human existence. Through sparse language and evocative imagery, Creeley captures the tension between youthful possibility and mature disillusionment, while also expressing a lingering desire to understand the nature of human suffering and hope. The poem’s reference to Shelley underscores the continuity of these questions across time, suggesting that the search for meaning and self-knowledge is an essential, if often elusive, part of the human experience. Ultimately, "Myself" invites readers to reflect on their own journeys of self-discovery, as they navigate the shifting landscapes of memory, idealism, and understanding.

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