Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Donald Justice?s "Nineteenth-Century Portrait" offers a vivid and imaginative depiction of a historical figure, rendered through the lens of the poet’s aesthetic sensibilities and cultural awareness. The poem, subtitled After Baudelaire, situates itself in the tradition of poetic ekphrasis, where visual or remembered images are transformed into verbal art. Justice crafts a narrative that is both richly descriptive and deeply contemplative, exploring themes of colonialism, identity, and the passage of time.

The poem begins under "skies God Himself must have painted blue," immediately setting a scene of divine perfection and natural beauty. The protagonist, a woman, emerges from the marketplace, her basket filled with "bananas and a few ripe pineapples," symbols of tropical abundance and simplicity. Her physicality is brought to life through the bold imagery of her "scarlet" skirt and the "bright cape matadors show the bull." This metaphor conveys both vitality and a sense of theatricality, as if her existence itself is a performance for the colonial gaze.

The description of her headwrap as "a richly bled bandage" injects an undercurrent of violence or suffering into this otherwise celebratory image. It hints at the historical context of colonial exploitation and the resilience of the subjugated. The duality of vibrancy and wound is a key motif in the poem, reflecting both the vitality of the woman’s culture and the oppressive structures under which she exists.

Justice?s attention to sensory details immerses the reader in the tropical setting: "The morning of the world sat in its palm branch, / A just-escaped parrot. Big mosquitoes hummed." The mention of the parrot and mosquitoes places the scene firmly in its geographical and environmental context, while the anthropomorphism of the morning adds a mythic quality to the portrait. These details suggest a world alive with sound, color, and movement, but also one that is teeming with hardship, as symbolized by the persistent mosquitoes.

The white men smoking on their verandas introduce a stark contrast. They are physically removed, shrouded in their "own small cloud," a metaphor for their detachment from the vibrant life described earlier. Their presence evokes the colonial backdrop against which the woman’s life unfolds—a reminder of the power dynamics and inequities that define her world.

As the poem progresses, Justice shifts from external description to imaginative empathy. He envisions the woman’s private life, her "straw mat" and dreams "all hummingbirds and hibiscus." These images reinforce her connection to the natural world, suggesting a purity and authenticity often romanticized in depictions of colonized peoples. Justice acknowledges the limitations of his imagination, as his vision of her life is inevitably shaped by his own cultural and historical lens.

The woman’s possible aspirations—"I think you must have wanted to see the States"—introduce a note of wistful speculation. Justice recognizes the allure of modernity and the myth of opportunity, even as he acknowledges its potential to disillusion. The image of "our cities... too crowded" and the "cold fogs" at the docks conveys the alienation and struggle that awaited many who sought a better life in industrialized societies. Her fate, encapsulated in "the rags / You stood shivering in, under the lampposts," is a stark reminder of the broken promises of progress and the enduring legacy of displacement.

Justice’s reference to "the tall ghosts of absent palms" serves as a haunting conclusion. The imagery evokes a longing for the homeland left behind and a recognition of the cultural and environmental losses that accompany migration. The ghosts of the palms symbolize not only the physical separation from the tropics but also the erasure of identity and history in the face of colonial and industrial expansion.

In its formal qualities, "Nineteenth-Century Portrait" exhibits Justice’s characteristic precision and restraint. The poem unfolds in free verse, allowing the imagery to flow naturally, unencumbered by rigid structure. Justice’s language is both evocative and accessible, striking a balance between lush description and understated emotion. The poem’s tone is contemplative, blending admiration for the woman’s strength and beauty with an awareness of the systemic forces that shaped her life.

The subtitle, After Baudelaire, invites a comparison to the French poet’s engagement with the exotic and the marginalized. Like Baudelaire, Justice navigates the tensions between aesthetic appreciation and ethical responsibility, questioning the role of the poet as an observer and interpreter of other lives. Justice’s portrayal avoids overt romanticization, instead emphasizing the complexities and contradictions of his subject.

"Nineteenth-Century Portrait" is a meditation on identity, history, and the power of imagination. Through its vivid imagery and reflective tone, the poem captures a moment of beauty and resilience against the backdrop of a fraught colonial past. Justice’s ability to evoke empathy and awareness within a single narrative underscores his mastery as a poet and his commitment to exploring the intersections of personal and collective memory.

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