Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Streets" by Christopher Howell is a vivid, impressionistic portrayal of Catullus, the Roman poet, navigating the complexities of memory, loss, and longing. Through the use of fragmented images and reflective language, Howell reimagines Catullus as he traverses the city streets, connecting fleeting moments to deeper truths about desire, heartbreak, and the human experience. The poem moves between the personal and universal, blurring the boundary between Catullus’s inner world and the nocturnal cityscape that mirrors his emotional state.

The poem opens with an allusion to Catullus’s return from the "sun-drenched farmlands of Nicaea." The brightness of these farmlands contrasts sharply with the shadowed streets he now wanders, signaling a shift from a place of warmth to one of isolation. This transition from light to darkness mirrors an emotional descent, as if Catullus is entering a space where memories and emotions linger, unresolved. The image of a “hook of smoke” leaning toward a broken goblet suggests both the aftermath of violence and a lingering sadness, as if the smoke is a physical manifestation of mourning. The line “It was the hook mourning makes” indicates a sense of despair that clings and curves, symbolizing the painful attachment to things that are lost or broken. Howell’s choice of the goblet—a delicate, valuable object that has been shattered—emphasizes the fragility of beauty and the inevitability of its destruction.

As Catullus continues through the streets, he encounters five “silent Phrygians” who row past him, scattering “little boat-like meditations from The Book of Odd Number.” These figures appear almost ghostly, their presence surreal and mysterious. The Phrygians’ silence and their connection to an obscure text underscore the otherworldly atmosphere, casting the scene in a dreamlike quality. Their “boat-like meditations” suggest the impermanence and unpredictability of thought and feeling, drifting as they do, here and gone in an instant, yet carrying meaning just beneath the surface.

Catullus then hears the “weeper, Flavius,” whose mixed emotions—“tittered and wept about mendacity in his lover’s verbs”—introduce a theme of linguistic betrayal. Flavius’s fixation on the untruthfulness in his lover’s language reflects the complications of relationships, where words can both connect and deceive. This preoccupation with words, which are both revealing and misleading, aligns with Catullus’s own experiences in love and loss. The emotional volatility displayed by Flavius echoes Catullus’s inner turmoil, as both men navigate the tension between trust and disillusionment.

The poem takes a reflective turn as Catullus thinks, “this night swerves like a girl loosening her robe.” This image of a disrobing woman creates a sensual, intimate moment, symbolizing vulnerability and the unfolding of hidden layers. The act of watching and being watched is charged with longing and curiosity, with one man observing while another paces, eager to see. This dynamic of desire and anticipation reflects the interplay between intimacy and distance, as if Catullus is caught between wanting to connect and being unable to fully possess the object of his longing.

The repetition of “Then Catullus was all night in the streets” reinforces the passage of time and the cyclical nature of his wandering. His nighttime journey becomes an endless loop of encounters and reflections, each one deepening his sense of fragmentation and yearning. Howell’s choice of “lit by smoke of a step disrobed and shattered” conjures an image of a delicate, fleeting moment—a step, a disrobing—that is quickly destroyed, like the smashed goblet. This phrase encapsulates the transience of beauty and the inevitability of its loss, evoking both a longing to hold onto something precious and the realization that it cannot last.

As Catullus continues, he experiences a metamorphosis, becoming “another man and another,” as if he is slipping into various roles or personas in response to his surroundings. The line “bleeding like this / bleeding like this” conveys a visceral sense of pain, as though each iteration of himself carries the same wound. The repetition emphasizes the rawness of his suffering, the way it persists through time and identity, a wound that cannot be healed or escaped. Howell’s choice of “Imagine” invites readers to feel this repetition and compounding of pain, underscoring the emotional weight of Catullus’s experience.

In the poem’s final line, “Then he let go,” there is a sense of surrender, as if Catullus has come to the end of his night and his wandering. This release is both physical and emotional, as he relinquishes his grip on the memories, desires, and identities that have haunted him through the streets. It is a moment of resignation, where the burden of longing and the pain of disillusionment are allowed to dissolve, even if only temporarily.

"Streets" is a meditation on love, loss, and the fragmented nature of identity. Through Catullus’s night journey, Howell captures the fluidity of self and the way past experiences shape our perceptions of the present. The poem invites readers to consider how we move through spaces of memory and desire, how we carry our wounds, and how, in moments of surrender, we might find a fleeting sense of peace. Howell’s language, rich with imagery and emotional resonance, leaves readers with the haunting beauty of a night where everything—love, beauty, identity—is both present and slipping away.

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