Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Robert Creeley';s poem "Doctor" is a reflection on memory, loss, and the complexities of family relationships, particularly focusing on the speaker';s connection to their late father. The poem is marked by a fragmented structure, as it moves between past and present, recollecting fleeting memories and unspoken emotions. Creeley captures the difficulty of reconciling the image of a father with the reality of his absence and the lingering impact of that loss. The poem delves into themes of identity, inheritance, and the sense of emptiness that remains when familial connections are severed.

The poem begins with the line, "Face of my father looks out from magazine’s page / on back of horse at eight," which sets a nostalgic tone. The image of the father at a young age, riding a horse, evokes a sense of innocence and freedom. The "magazine';s page" indicates that this image is something the speaker has encountered indirectly, suggesting a distance between the speaker and their father. The father’s depiction as a young boy is juxtaposed with the speaker';s experience, highlighting a temporal disconnection, as if the speaker is trying to understand a part of their father';s life that they themselves never witnessed firsthand.

"Already four more than I was / when the doctor died" introduces a personal element, connecting the father’s age at the time of the photograph to the speaker';s own experience of loss. The mention of "the doctor" refers to the speaker';s father, who was evidently known as "the doctor" within the family. This reference, echoed by "both mother and Theresa," emphasizes the father’s professional identity as well as the formality with which he is remembered. The use of "already four more" creates a sense of comparison, as if the speaker is measuring their own life against the milestones of their father';s life, marked by the doctor';s death.

The line "whose saddened son I was and have to be" captures the weight of familial expectations and the emotional burden carried by the speaker. The phrase "have to be" suggests a sense of inevitability, as if the speaker has inherited not just the identity of being the doctor';s son but also the associated sadness and loss. This sense of being defined by loss is reinforced by the following lines, in which the speaker';s sister recalls their father';s hopes for the speaker: "He felt that with Bob he was starting over, perhaps, / and resolved not to lose this son as he had Tom and Phil." These lines reveal the father';s past tragedies—losing two sons before Bob—and his desire to "start over" with the speaker. This sense of starting over carries both hope and an implied burden, as if the speaker has been tasked with fulfilling the father';s need for redemption or continuity.

"Nothing said to me, no words more than echoes," conveys a profound sense of silence and disconnection. The speaker reveals that there was no direct communication between them and their father, leaving only "echoes" of what might have been said. This silence contributes to the feeling of emotional distance and the difficulty of truly understanding the father';s experiences or intentions. The sensory memory of "a smell I remember of cigarette box, a highball glass, / man in bed with mother" evokes a fragmented recollection of the father—intimate, yet elusive. These details capture moments of domestic life, yet they remain incomplete, as if the speaker can only grasp at fleeting impressions without a full understanding of the person behind them.

The quote "Your father was such / a Christmas fellow!" introduces an anecdote about the father’s character. The description of him as "a Christmas fellow" suggests warmth, cheer, and a sense of celebration, yet the context in which this is shared contrasts with the father';s absence and the emptiness that remains. The phrase "So happy, empty / in the leftover / remnants of whatever / it was" underscores the duality of the father';s persona—one that was outwardly joyful but, in the speaker';s memory, ultimately empty. The "leftover remnants" convey a sense of incompleteness, as if the happiness associated with the father was only a façade, now reduced to mere traces without substance.

The concluding lines—"the doctor’s / house, the doctor’s family"—reflect on the legacy left behind. The repetition of "the doctor';s" emphasizes how the father’s identity as a doctor overshadowed other aspects of who he was. The "house" and "family" are described in relation to the father, but there is a sense of detachment, as if the speaker cannot fully connect with these concepts or their father’s memory. The title "Doctor" itself highlights the father';s professional identity, suggesting that this role may have been a defining aspect of how he was remembered, yet also one that created a distance between him and his children.

The structure of "Doctor" is fragmented, mirroring the nature of memory and the difficulty of piecing together the past. The enjambed lines and lack of punctuation create a sense of fluidity, allowing the poem to move seamlessly between different thoughts and images. This structure reflects the speaker';s process of recalling and interpreting incomplete memories, underscoring the challenge of understanding a person who is no longer present.

Overall, "Doctor" by Robert Creeley is a poignant reflection on memory, family, and the enduring impact of loss. Through vivid, fragmented imagery, Creeley captures the complexity of the speaker';s relationship with their father—a relationship marked by absence, silence, and a sense of inherited sadness. The poem delves into the tension between the father';s public persona as "the doctor" and the private, often elusive figure remembered by his children. "Doctor" ultimately speaks to the difficulty of reconciling the image of a loved one with the reality of their absence, and the ways in which we try to make sense of the lingering echoes of those who have shaped our lives.

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