Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Lawrence Durrell's poem "Cavafy" is a homage to the Greek poet Constantine P. Cavafy, known for his evocative, often sensual poetry that captures the complexities of human desire, memory, and the passage of time. Durrell’s portrayal of Cavafy is both affectionate and deeply insightful, focusing on the raw, unpolished aspects of the poet’s work and life. The poem reflects on the nature of Cavafy’s art, his approach to poetry, and the themes that defined his legacy.

The opening lines express Durrell’s appreciation for "the old man's loves," which are described as "egregious" and "often shabby." These loves, though perhaps unconventional or morally questionable, are presented without judgment. The phrase "Protruding from the ass's skin of verse" suggests that Cavafy’s poems are not refined or polished to perfection but are instead raw and direct, exposing the reality of his experiences. The reference to "the ass's skin" might evoke the image of a simple, humble material, indicating that Cavafy’s poetry is grounded in the everyday, the imperfect, and the human.

Durrell acknowledges that Cavafy’s poems are "cultured by a thirst," implying that they are driven by a deep, insatiable longing—whether for love, beauty, or meaning. This thirst leads Cavafy into "dilapidated taverns" and encounters with "dark eyes," which are washed in "the wry and loving brilliance" of memories. The phrase "barbaric memories" hints at a sense of passion and intensity that once colored these experiences, though they may now be faded or tinged with regret. The use of "barbaric" suggests something untamed, raw, and authentic in Cavafy’s recollections.

Durrell dismisses any "cant about the sottishness of man," rejecting the moralizing that might condemn Cavafy’s indulgences. Instead, he celebrates the poet’s engagement with the "forest of dark eyes" and the "melting vision of the flesh," capturing the transient beauty and sensuality that Cavafy encountered in the brothels and dimly lit rooms of Alexandria. The image of "Eros the tutor of our callowness" reflects the idea that love and desire are central to the human experience, teaching us about our vulnerabilities and desires. The "crises of great art" that Durrell describes are linked to these intense, often painful experiences, where love and death intermingle in the "love-feast of a sort of love-in-death."

Durrell admires Cavafy’s refusal to pursue grandiose, monumental works. The line "Never / To attempt a masterpiece of size — / You must leave life for that" suggests that Cavafy chose to focus on the smaller, more immediate moments of life rather than seeking to create a towering masterpiece. Durrell praises this approach, emphasizing the importance of preserving "the adventive / Minute," the fleeting, spontaneous moments that define human existence. Cavafy’s commitment to "never to destroy the truth" and to avoid "the coarse manipulations of the lie" reveals his dedication to authenticity, to capturing life as it is, rather than idealizing it.

The poem then reflects on the challenge of capturing these fleeting moments in art. Durrell imagines Cavafy wishing that "the brown fingers franking his love" could be immortalized in poetry, that the "immortal / Episode be recorded." This desire to fix a moment in time, to give it permanence, is a common theme in poetry, yet Durrell acknowledges the difficulty and perhaps the impossibility of fully achieving this. The idea of "shedding his acts like scabs" suggests a kind of healing, a release from the burden of past actions and experiences. However, Durrell recognizes that even in his final days, Cavafy, like all of us, was "still trying"—still striving to capture the essence of life, to make sense of it through art.

Durrell’s "Cavafy" is a tribute to the poet’s commitment to truth, to capturing the raw and often uncomfortable realities of human desire and experience. Through his portrayal of Cavafy, Durrell reflects on the nature of poetry itself, the challenge of preserving fleeting moments, and the inevitable incompleteness of any artistic endeavor. The poem celebrates Cavafy’s embrace of life’s imperfections and his refusal to shy away from the darker aspects of existence, recognizing that in these moments of struggle and longing, true art is born.

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