Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Forrest Gander's poem "Violence's Narrative Continued" presents a fragmented and haunting portrayal of a tragic event, using vivid imagery and a stark narrative style to delve into the aftermath of violence. The poem captures the disorienting and surreal nature of such moments, intertwining dark humor with stark realism to reflect on the human condition and the randomness of fate.

The poem opens with an unsettling and jarring image: "Didn't he have a loincloth over his gentiles. And Goody's Headache Powder." This line juxtaposes the archaic and religious connotation of a loincloth with the mundane modernity of a headache remedy, setting the tone for a scene where the sacred and the profane collide. The misspelling of "genitals" as "gentiles" could be an intentional play on words, further emphasizing the disorientation and confusion surrounding the event.

The line "Objects in mirror are moroser than they appear" twists the familiar car safety warning into a grim observation about the nature of reality and perception. This phrase suggests that the true depth of sadness or tragedy is often hidden or understated, only becoming apparent upon closer inspection.

The poem's narrative continues with "Disconnected last thoughts. Between the white center lanes a large red stain." This image of a red stain on the road between white lanes likely signifies a bloodstain, hinting at a recent accident or act of violence. The "disconnected last thoughts" evoke the fragmented and chaotic mental state of someone experiencing a traumatic event.

The setting shifts to a specific location: "Ascension Parish. / In the shaggy tree lodges one hubcap." The mention of Ascension Parish, a real place in Louisiana, grounds the poem in a tangible reality. The hubcap lodged in a tree suggests the violent impact of a car crash, with everyday objects becoming eerie markers of the incident.

The poem's focus then moves to the aftermath of the crash: "The radio song finished. / Without the driver. I Attend Gloryland Baptist Church bum-persticker. Visible. On the bumper." The details of the radio song ending and the church bumper sticker emphasize the abrupt cessation of normalcy and the presence of personal and cultural identifiers in the midst of chaos. The absence of the driver underscores the sudden and tragic nature of the event.

The line "Impaled on the bridge rail. Remember, someone had joked, rubber-side down." combines macabre humor with the grim reality of the situation. The phrase "rubber-side down" is a common safety reminder for motorcyclists and drivers, now rendered ironic and tragic in light of the crash.

The poem closes with a powerful image of futility and ongoing movement: "In humid air the wheels each freely spinning. Who's going to tell?" The spinning wheels symbolize the continuous motion of life, even in the face of death and disaster. The final question, "Who's going to tell?" highlights the uncertainty and responsibility of communicating such a tragic event, leaving the reader to ponder the aftermath and the human connections disrupted by violence.

"Violence's Narrative Continued" is a stark and evocative meditation on the suddenness and randomness of violence. Through fragmented imagery and dark humor, Forrest Gander captures the surreal and disorienting nature of traumatic events, inviting readers to reflect on the fragile and often chaotic nature of existence. The poem's blending of mundane details with profound tragedy creates a poignant and unsettling narrative that resonates with the unpredictability of life and the inevitability of death.

POEM TEXT: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Science_Steepleflower/miMM0TaaSOMC?hl=en&gbpv=1

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