Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Parts: Goat's Eye," Robert Creeley delves into the raw, primal aspects of perception, desire, and mortality, using the imagery of a goat’s eye to explore the boundaries between thought and instinct, presence and absence, life and death. The poem’s fragmented, elliptical style evokes a sense of disorientation and ambiguity, as if grappling with the limitations of sight and knowledge itself. Through his sparse language, Creeley captures the tension between the tangible physicality of the goat’s gaze and the abstract, unanswerable questions that arise from it.

The opening phrase, “Eye hole’s peculiar framed,” suggests an anatomical view of the goat’s eye, but with an added sense of strangeness or peculiarity. By describing the eye as a “hole,” Creeley emphasizes its function as a void or portal, a point through which perception is both enabled and limited. The phrase “peculiar framed” hints at the unique, even unsettling way a goat’s eye might capture the world—its slit-shaped pupil creating an unfamiliar and alien gaze. This framing device introduces the idea of the eye not just as a sensory organ but as a symbolic threshold between the inner self and the outer world. The goat’s eye, with its distinctive shape, becomes an embodiment of both animal perception and a deeper, more enigmatic awareness.

“See you, want you, think of eye out, lost last sight” brings a progression of sensory and emotional responses that echo human desires and vulnerabilities. “See you, want you” implies an impulse-driven recognition, as if the act of seeing naturally gives rise to wanting or longing. This phrase could reflect a primal, almost instinctual desire—a longing tied to vision and presence. However, Creeley complicates this simple progression by moving from “see you, want you” to “think of eye out, lost last sight.” Here, the loss of sight suggests a sense of detachment or absence, as though the act of seeing has been interrupted or deprived. “Lost last sight” captures a sense of finality and disconnection, as if the once-living, desiring gaze is now only a memory or a fragment of what it once was.

The line “past goat thoughts, what was it, when or why—” introduces the idea of memory and self-reflection, as if looking through the eye’s “hole” might reveal something beyond the surface, something intrinsic to the goat’s identity or experience. The phrase “goat thoughts” is intriguing; it implies that even an animal like a goat may have an inner life, though perhaps one incomprehensible to human understanding. By listing “what was it, when or why,” Creeley emphasizes the unknowability of these “goat thoughts”—they are questions that lack clear answers, suggesting that the mind, whether human or animal, often pursues mysteries it cannot fully grasp. This line draws attention to the limitations of understanding, especially when it comes to the thoughts or intentions of another being.

The next phrase—“Or if still the stiff hair, musk, the way eye looks out”—shifts the focus from abstract questions back to the physical, sensory reality of the goat. “Stiff hair” and “musk” evoke the animal’s presence in a visceral way, bringing the reader back to the immediate, embodied qualities of the goat. These details anchor the poem in the tactile and sensory, reminding us that the goat’s experience, though mysterious, is grounded in physical reality. “The way eye looks out” suggests that the goat’s gaze carries its own intrinsic power or intent, an “outward” look that is both watchful and inscrutable. This gaze is not passive; it is aware, present, and directed outward, embodying the animal’s instinctive engagement with its surroundings.

“Black line contracted” likely refers to the unique, rectangular pupil of a goat’s eye, which contracts to a narrow slit in bright light. This line, visually striking and alien, serves as a focal point in the poem, representing both the literal eye and the metaphoric boundary between perception and mystery. The “black line contracted” emphasizes the limitation and concentration of vision, as if the eye narrows its focus, filtering out all but the essentials. This contraction could symbolize the goat’s ability to see with a certain intensity or clarity that is direct and undistracted, in contrast to the more expansive, abstract thoughts that the human mind tends to wander through.

The phrase “head’s skull unstudied, steady” introduces an element of permanence and solidity, contrasting the mystery of the gaze with the immovability of bone. The skull is “unstudied,” untouched by introspection or awareness, and “steady,” suggesting the unchanging nature of the animal’s form even as life within it ebbs and flows. The unstudied skull implies a lack of self-reflection, as if the goat moves through life without the burden of understanding or questioning. This quality aligns with the animalistic sense of purpose—acting on instinct, without being distracted by the deeper complexities of thought.

The line “it led to lust, follows its own way down to dust” brings the poem to a contemplation of desire and mortality. The phrase “it led to lust” suggests that the gaze, perception itself, has a natural inclination toward desire—a primal yearning that drives behavior and connection. This “lust” could represent the fundamental life force, the will to survive and engage with the world, even if it is an instinctual drive rather than a conscious choice. However, “follows its own way down to dust” undercuts this vitality, reminding the reader that even the most potent desires ultimately lead to the same end. Dust is the final destination, symbolizing the inevitability of decay and death, a return to the earth from which all life originates.

Structurally, "Parts: Goat’s Eye" reflects Creeley’s signature minimalism, with each phrase offering a distinct image or idea, connected by an undercurrent of contemplation on life’s fleeting nature. The poem’s fragmented syntax and lack of punctuation allow for fluid transitions between physical description and abstract thought, mirroring the shifting focus between tangible reality and existential reflection. The flow of the lines creates a sense of immediacy and rawness, as though the poem itself resists complete understanding, embodying the very mystery it contemplates.

In "Parts: Goat's Eye," Creeley presents a meditation on the nature of perception, instinct, and the ephemeral nature of life. Through the physical details of the goat’s eye and its gaze, he explores the fundamental desires and drives that define existence, while also confronting the limitations and finality of mortality. The poem juxtaposes the goat’s unexamined, steady awareness with the human tendency to question and analyze, creating a dialogue between instinct and introspection. Ultimately, Creeley’s poem suggests that while life is propelled by powerful, instinctual forces—desire, vision, survival—these forces are bound to end, returning everything “down to dust.” In this way, "Parts: Goat's Eye" captures the duality of existence: the tension between primal vitality and the inevitable quiet of death.

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