Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Robert Creeley’s poem "Roman Sketchbook: The Street" captures a seemingly fleeting, humorous moment in which the ordinary intersects with the extraordinary, reflecting Creeley';s characteristic attention to detail and the juxtaposition of everyday experience with larger societal contexts. In this very brief and direct piece, Creeley presents an amusing contrast between the mundanity of having lunch and the spectacle of members of the Italian Parliament walking by, offering a subtle commentary on perspective and the value of moments in our daily lives.

The poem begins with "All the various / members of the Italian / Parliament," which immediately draws attention to a scene of political importance. The phrase "all the various" gives a sense of diversity among the members, perhaps evoking the image of a bustling group, each individual with their own distinct presence and purpose. The inclusion of "the Italian Parliament" situates the poem in a specific cultural and political context, bringing into focus the significant role these individuals play in governance and the shaping of the country’s future. Yet, there is an irony here in how the grandiosity of their roles contrasts sharply with the casual setting of the speaker’s lunch.

The abrupt shift in focus with "walking / past my lunch!" highlights the speaker’s sense of detachment from the gravity of the scene unfolding around them. The exclamation point adds a touch of humor, as if the speaker is bemused by the incongruity of the situation—elected officials, important and serious, simply walking by while the speaker partakes in something as ordinary as lunch. This contrast creates a sense of surprise and perhaps even a playful mockery of the weight we attribute to figures of authority when juxtaposed with the basic, personal act of eating.

The humor in the poem lies in its simplicity and the speaker';s perspective. The members of Parliament are not described in terms of their significance, their power, or their political dealings. Instead, they are merely "walking / past" the speaker’s lunch, reduced to part of the scenery of the speaker’s immediate experience. This perspective downplays their importance, emphasizing instead the ordinariness of the moment. The fact that the speaker focuses on their lunch rather than the politicians suggests a kind of indifference to their presence, as if the practical and immediate need to eat outweighs any grand observation about politics or power.

This interplay between the mundane and the significant serves to question how we perceive value and importance. While members of Parliament might typically command attention due to their status, here, they are background figures, with the speaker’s lunch taking precedence. The poem implicitly critiques how we assign importance to people based on roles and appearances, and how, in day-to-day life, what truly matters may be as simple as a meal enjoyed in the moment.

"Roman Sketchbook: The Street" reflects Creeley’s ability to find poetic meaning in the everyday and to explore the complexities of perspective and significance. By placing the ordinary—having lunch—side by side with the extraordinary—politicians passing by—Creeley invites readers to reflect on the small moments that make up our lives and how those moments can feel more immediate and meaningful than larger events unfolding around us. The poem celebrates the simplicity of being present, of appreciating what is directly in front of us, even if it is just lunch, while the world—full of its own importance—passes by.

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