Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Farewell Stairway" by Barbara Guest is an evocative poem that intertwines mythological references, abstract imagery, and a sense of movement to create a vivid depiction of descent and departure. Inspired by the futurist painter Giacomo Balla, the poem captures the fluidity and dynamism of the stairway as a metaphor for transitions and farewells.

The poem opens with "The women without hesitancy began to descend / leaving flowers— / Ceres harried—bragged of cultivated grain—," immediately setting a mythological tone. Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, represents fertility and the cycles of life. Her presence suggests a journey through natural and cosmic cycles. The women’s descent is marked by the leaving of flowers, symbols of both beauty and impermanence.

"I saw Hecate, the gray-wrapped woman, / in lumpy dark. / farewell eyes revolve— / the frontier oscillating— / pleated moments. / Hades at the bottom—" introduces Hecate, the goddess of magic and crossroads, and Hades, the god of the underworld. The imagery of "gray-wrapped" and "lumpy dark" conveys a somber, mystical atmosphere. The oscillation of the frontier and pleated moments suggests a fluid transition between realms, emphasizing the liminal nature of the stairway.

The repetition of "they laughed like twins their arms around each other / the women descending— / birds dropping south out of wind" highlights the camaraderie and shared experience of the descent. The comparison to birds migrating south adds a natural, instinctive element to their journey. The phrase "goodbyes twisted / upwards from the neck—" evokes the physical act of looking back while descending, capturing the mixture of forward motion and retrospection.

Guest's use of "a common cloudy scene. no furniture. / a polished stairwell— / women magnetized. moving. chatting. / responding to the pull— / the vortex curves rapidly oscillating— / undulating to rapid pencil lines. / or water— / the look of stewed water. / sensuously." blends the mundane with the abstract. The polished stairwell contrasts with the magnetized women, emphasizing their attraction to the descent. The vortex and undulating lines suggest the influence of Balla’s futurist style, capturing the motion and energy of the scene.

The appearance of Charon, the ferryman of Hades, in "and gnarled Charon— / their clothes—volumes— / folded over. blowing. / dresses approach the wide penciling—" reinforces the mythological framework. The flowing clothes and volumes add to the sense of movement, while the mention of "Hecate was present / and that other woman looking backward— / tearful. holding onto the rail." underscores the emotional weight of the farewell.

"I saw it futurally— / stoppered cotton slowly expanding. released. / sliding from the bottle—" introduces a temporal element, suggesting a vision of the future or an abstracted view of time. The expansion and release of cotton evoke a slow, inevitable unfolding, paralleling the women’s descent.

The poem's structure and pacing mirror the descent it describes. Lines like "I was outside the vortex. close to the wall. / Hecate managed me— / at the curve. the magic. / floated up—spiraled— they were fully dressed. their volume. / the modish descent— / antiqueness—" emphasize the observer’s perspective, juxtaposing the personal with the collective experience. The mention of a "roman scala" and "gli addii—gli adii— / velocity— / whipped the waves." links the scene to historical and cultural motifs, enriching the poem's texture.

The concluding lines, "you who are outside. over there. / can’t feel the pull. it makes you wonder— / the oscillation. the whirling. urgent. / indicating air revolving in a circuit— / without interruption. free movement / in cielo puro—spider-less— / scatters everything." address the reader directly, drawing attention to the universal nature of farewells and transitions. The poem’s final imagery, "south dusk and fire balls— / the same at Nauplia. mythic potency— / winding down the tower— / farewell. farewells." ties the scene back to ancient mythology, emphasizing the enduring power of these archetypal journeys.

In "Farewell Stairway," Barbara Guest masterfully weaves together myth, abstract imagery, and a sense of movement to create a poignant meditation on transitions, farewells, and the cyclical nature of existence. Through her vivid and dynamic language, Guest invites readers to reflect on their own experiences of change and the passage of time.

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