Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Edward Field’s poem "Winners and the Losers" provides a poignant reflection on generational shifts in values and the evolving perception of success. Through vivid imagery and personal narrative, Field contrasts the ideals of a bygone era with the prevailing attitudes of the younger generation, offering a critical perspective on the pursuit of material success at the expense of artistic and ideological ideals.

The poem begins with the narrator addressing a younger audience, recounting his life and sharing “the sorrows and the losses— / in short, the human condition.” He recognizes the generational divide as he looks out at the “so young, / hair shiny, with their lives before them,” noting that they view him as “a loser / and had no pity.” The younger generation is “determined… / to make it big, to be winners,” illustrating the ambition and self-assuredness often associated with youth.

Field captures a moment that further reinforces the narrator’s status as a “loser” when even the clerk at the social security office expresses disbelief at his low earnings, asking, “Have you always earned so little?” This stark question reveals the clerk’s perception of success as synonymous with financial gain. The narrator admits he “had never thought of it that way,” suggesting that he had not measured his life’s worth in monetary terms. However, to the clerk, his tax records tell a story of “bad luck,” reinforcing societal expectations around success.

The poem then shifts to a nostalgic reflection on the “beautiful losers” of the narrator’s youth. These were individuals who “let the world destroy them / but stayed true to their dream,” rejecting materialism and convention in favor of “Art, Sex, and Revolution.” They were a “small, beleaguered band” who held onto their integrity and lived on the fringes of society. Field describes these figures as “madmen / who burned themselves out with drugs and drink, disappeared into the desert, / or battered society with their shaggy heads.”

There was a time when these “beautiful losers” were admired, even idolized. Field recalls a period “when everybody was rushing off / in search of the Underground Man.” This reference to Dostoevsky’s "Notes from Underground" alludes to the romanticization of rebellion and nonconformity that characterized the counterculture movements of the mid-20th century.

However, the poem laments the passing of this era, noting that “now that winners are in fashion, / disappearing are the last of the bohemians.” The narrator identifies himself as “of another era,” likening himself to “the grizzled poet / who slept in Village doorways / and showed up at the Poetry Society / with his life work in a shopping bag.” The anecdote about the poet who reads his poem “Crows,” leaping off a table and flapping his arms while crying “Caw, caw,” illustrates both the eccentricity and authenticity of the old bohemian spirit.

Structurally, the poem unfolds in free verse, allowing Field to weave together personal reflection, social commentary, and vivid imagery seamlessly. The conversational tone and varied pacing mirror the narrator’s stream of consciousness, creating an intimate and reflective atmosphere.

In summary, "Winners and the Losers" is a moving exploration of generational shifts and the changing definition of success. Edward Field masterfully contrasts the ideals of artistic and ideological integrity with the contemporary emphasis on material achievement, offering a critique of a society that increasingly values winning over authenticity. The poem serves as both a lament for a disappearing bohemian spirit and a reminder of the enduring value of staying true to one's dreams, even in the face of societal expectations.

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