Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Five Poems from 'From Scratch': 2. After Reading Ackroyd" by Clayton Eshleman is a haunting, vivid exploration of family legacy, memory, and the psychological aftermath of oppressive ideologies. Eshleman intertwines surreal imagery with intense emotional experiences to create a complex tapestry of familial interaction and personal trauma. The poem leverages historical, cultural, and personal symbols to delve into the impacts of the past on individual identity and perceptions.

The poem begins with an unsettling image of the speaker's father wearing a Nazi armband while performing the mundane task of raking leaves. This stark juxtaposition of the banal with the symbolically violent and oppressive evokes a sense of dissonance, emphasizing how deeply political and historical realities infiltrate personal and family life. The use of the "Rimbaud porthole" as a viewpoint suggests a lens of poetic and visionary insight, distancing the speaker from the scene while also highlighting the inescapability of his heritage.

The description of the father as "an oily swirl of autumnal colors clawing at the flesh of the earth" continues the blending of everyday activities with a sinister undertone, suggesting a deeper, perhaps destructive engagement with the world that goes beyond mere gardening. The vivid imagery here also serves to externalize internal states, portraying psychological turmoil and aggression through the physical manipulation of the environment.

As the poem progresses, the house at "4705" is depicted not merely as a structure but as a living organism, filled with "egg clusters on the walls, the hives and bubbling sacs," transforming the family home into a site of grotesque growth and mysterious processes. The mother is described as "a weeping manta ray in an underworld of Biblical directives," which not only adds to the surreal, otherworldly atmosphere but also casts her as a tragic figure, navigating a space governed by oppressive, archaic rules.

The mention of the father's violent acts against "several Negro children" who attempted to collect buckeyes introduces a direct narrative of racial violence and dehumanization, linking personal and familial violence with broader social injustices. This act is mirrored in the domestic violence experienced by the speaker and "Sparky," suggesting a cycle of abuse that perpetuates itself through generations.

The imagery of holding a "globe of father-semen" in the palm, which is then transformed into a "grigri" (a kind of amulet), illustrates an attempt to reshape or reclaim the legacy and influence of the father. This act of turning something potentially life-giving into a protective charm underscores the complexity of familial ties—the simultaneous need to inherit and yet protect oneself from certain aspects of that inheritance.

The poem closes with a reflection on the ancestral influences that shape the father, described as "strapped to the frame of his father's vise." This imagery suggests the inescapable grip of familial expectations and legacies, with each generation perhaps bound to repeat the patterns set by the one before, unless a conscious break is made.

"Five Poems from 'From Scratch': 2. After Reading Ackroyd" is thus a deeply introspective piece that uses the surreal and the grotesque to explore the profound and often disturbing ways in which family histories infiltrate and shape personal and social identities. Eshleman's use of vivid, often shocking imagery challenges the reader to confront the darker aspects of familial and cultural legacies, ultimately questioning the very nature of inheritance and identity.

POEM TEXT: https://www.google.com/books/edition/From_Scratch/gaRq3n32fBUC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=AFTER%20READING

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