Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Charlotte DeClue’s "Hookin' Honkies" is a vivid, humorous, and layered depiction of a powwow scene, weaving together the sacred and the mundane, the personal and the communal, the traditional and the contemporary. Through sharp, sensory-rich imagery and a wry, observational tone, DeClue captures the complexity of Indigenous life in modern America, where spiritual rituals coexist with carnival rides, and generational tensions are as palpable as the scent of popcorn and cotton candy. The poem navigates themes of cultural continuity, community dynamics, and personal desire, all while maintaining a playful, satirical edge.

The poem opens with a striking image: "A young Cheyenne woman / signs the Lord's prayer / hands sweeping across her chest ... for thine is the kingdom." This fusion of Indigenous identity (the Cheyenne woman) with Christian ritual (the Lord’s Prayer) immediately sets the tone for the poem’s exploration of cultural intersections. The act of signing the prayer—a visual, physical expression—emphasizes both the performative and deeply personal nature of faith in this setting. Yet, this sacred moment is humorously undercut by the intrusion of the everyday: "while the audio man tries competing with the popcorn machine." The juxtaposition of spiritual reverence and carnival noise reflects the constant balancing act between maintaining cultural traditions and navigating the distractions of modern life.

As the prayer continues, the woman’s gestures become more dynamic: "she makes a fist / ... and the power." The fist, a symbol of strength and defiance, contrasts with the passive, reverent tone typically associated with prayer, infusing the act with a sense of resistance or personal empowerment. The sensory environment continues to intrude on this sacred moment: "smell of cotton candy and oil from the Tilt-A-Whirl / make me want a beer." DeClue’s use of smell and taste grounds the reader in the physicality of the scene, blending the sacred and profane. The desire for a beer amidst a religious ritual adds a layer of irreverence, highlighting the speaker’s playful, candid perspective.

The speaker’s attempt to order a drink is met with indifference: "I call for a round but no one hears me / (at $1.75 a draw everyone's waiting / for the beer garden to open)." This parenthetical aside injects humor into the poem, poking fun at the communal anticipation of cheap beer. The specificity of "$1.75 a draw" situates the poem firmly in a particular socio-economic context, emphasizing the small pleasures and communal rituals that punctuate events like powwows. The beer garden, with its promise of social lubrication and potential romantic encounters, becomes a parallel to the sacred rituals happening nearby.

The poem then shifts to a memory: "Last year Alice / made me sit thru Amazing Grace / for thinking upon the thighs of a potential snag / who bills himself as an international star." The term "snag," colloquially used in Native communities to refer to a casual romantic encounter, underscores the playful, irreverent tone. The speaker’s wandering thoughts during a hymn suggest a tension between spiritual obligation and earthly desires, a theme that runs throughout the poem. The "international star" moniker adds a layer of satire, poking fun at the self-importance or inflated status some individuals assume within the powwow circuit.

As the prayer nears its conclusion, the woman’s gestures become more expansive: "an arm comes out / envisioning the horizon / ... forever." This image of reaching toward the horizon suggests a yearning for something beyond the immediate, perhaps a nod to the enduring nature of cultural traditions or personal aspirations. Yet, this moment of transcendence is immediately grounded by the mundane reality of the event: "the show barely went on / the fancy dancer / having locked his feathers in the car along with the keys." This humorous mishap highlights the human imperfections that exist within even the most ceremonial contexts. The image of a dancer, central to powwow performances, being sidelined by such an everyday problem, underscores the blend of tradition and modernity that characterizes contemporary Native life.

The poem’s setting shifts to the parking lot, described as "looking more like a stand-off between Kiowa and Pawnee clans." This comparison to historical intertribal conflicts injects a layer of dramatic irony, contrasting the seriousness of past battles with the mundane tensions of the present. The conflict here is familial and personal rather than tribal: "one of the elders having been informed by a woman from California / he is the father of her 21 year old son." This revelation, delivered with deadpan humor, reflects the complexities of identity, lineage, and unexpected connections that emerge in communal gatherings.

The poem concludes with a subtle yet powerful image: "hands go down politely / eyes lowered / (now that I know) / ... A-M-E-N." The lowering of hands and eyes suggests a return to decorum, a collective acknowledgment of the complicated, sometimes messy nature of community and personal relationships. The parenthetical "(now that I know)" hints at a deeper awareness or acceptance, perhaps of the elder’s paternity or of the broader truths about human connection and fallibility. The final "A-M-E-N" serves as both a literal conclusion to the prayer and a metaphorical closure to the series of events described, blending the sacred and the profane one last time.

Structurally, the poem flows as a series of vignettes, each blending humor, observation, and cultural commentary. DeClue’s free verse style allows for a conversational tone, mirroring the casual yet sharp observations of the speaker. The interspersing of the Lord’s Prayer throughout the poem serves as a refrain, grounding the narrative in a spiritual context while highlighting the tension between sacred rituals and everyday distractions.

In "Hookin' Honkies," Charlotte DeClue masterfully captures the vibrancy, humor, and contradictions of contemporary Native life. Through her sharp, observational lens, she reveals how cultural traditions persist amidst the noise and chaos of modernity, how personal desires coexist with communal obligations, and how humor can be a powerful tool for navigating the complexities of identity and community. The poem is both a celebration and a critique, offering a nuanced portrayal of a world where the sacred and the profane, the traditional and the contemporary, are in constant dialogue.

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