Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Robert Creeley’s poem "Roman Sketchbook: I Think" is a reflective and meditative piece that captures the feeling of returning to a familiar yet foreign place and grappling with the interplay between memory and reality. Creeley';s succinct language and fragmented phrasing convey the disorientation of revisiting a site steeped in historical and personal significance, allowing the poem to oscillate between the tangible reality of physical places and the ephemeral nature of memories.

The poem begins with the line "I think the steps up to the flat parklike top of hill by the Quirinale." This opening is casual and introspective, suggesting a moment of contemplation as the speaker observes a familiar setting in Rome. The reference to "the steps" and "the flat parklike top of hill by the Quirinale" paints a vivid picture of the physical space, situating the reader within the historical context of Rome, near the Quirinal Palace. The use of "I think" introduces a sense of uncertainty or speculation, indicating that the speaker is unsure of their memory or attempting to recall details from a past experience.

The poem continues: "look like where I’d walked when last here had stopped before I’d gone in down to the Coliseum’s huge bulk." This line blurs the boundary between past and present, as the speaker is both remembering a previous visit and experiencing the place anew. The phrase "had stopped before I’d gone in down" suggests a hesitation or pause before proceeding further, adding to the sense of a fragmented memory. The mention of the "Coliseum’s huge bulk" evokes a powerful and imposing image of the ancient structure, emphasizing its grandeur and the weight of history that it carries. The Coliseum stands as a symbol of Rome’s monumental past, contrasting with the speaker';s fleeting presence.

Creeley then moves on to describe "the massed rock and the grassed plot / where the Christians fought." The juxtaposition of "massed rock" and "grassed plot" highlights the contrast between the enduring solidity of the Coliseum’s structure and the natural elements that have grown around it over time. The reference to "where the Christians fought" alludes to the historical narratives associated with the Coliseum, particularly the persecution of Christians during the Roman Empire. This historical reference introduces a sense of the violence and suffering that is embedded in the landscape, reminding the reader of the layers of meaning and memory associated with the place.

The poem’s setting shifts to the present with the line "and traffic roars round." This abrupt change to a modern-day scene grounds the poem in the contemporary moment, emphasizing the coexistence of ancient history and the present-day reality of urban life. The roar of traffic becomes a symbol of the relentless flow of time and the intrusion of the present into the speaker’s reflections on the past. The noise and activity of the modern world stand in stark contrast to the historical weight of the Coliseum, suggesting a dissonance between the past and present.

The final lines—"as if time only were mind or all this was reminiscence and what’s real is not"—convey a deep sense of existential uncertainty. The phrase "as if time only were mind" suggests that time is a construct shaped by human perception, blurring the distinction between reality and memory. The idea that "all this was reminiscence and what’s real is not" further emphasizes the tension between what is remembered and what is experienced in the present. The speaker questions the nature of reality itself, suggesting that the past and present, memory and physical space, are all intertwined in a way that makes it difficult to distinguish what is truly real.

"Roman Sketchbook: I Think" is a poem that grapples with the complexities of memory, history, and the passage of time. Creeley’s use of fragmented phrasing and introspective language captures the feeling of disorientation that often accompanies revisiting a place with deep historical and personal resonance. The poem';s imagery, moving from the grandeur of the Coliseum to the mundane roar of traffic, reflects the juxtaposition of the ancient and the modern, highlighting the coexistence of different temporal layers within the same space.

Ultimately, the poem conveys a sense of uncertainty about the nature of experience and the reliability of memory. The speaker’s reflections on the physical landmarks of Rome serve as a means of exploring broader questions about the relationship between the past and present, the real and the remembered. By blurring these boundaries, Creeley invites the reader to consider how our perceptions of time and place are shaped by the mind, and how the act of remembering can transform the way we experience the world around us. The poem leaves the reader with a sense of ambiguity, suggesting that what we consider to be real is always subject to the shifting landscape of memory and perception.

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