Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Countess Erica Blaise: Chorus" by Bob Kaufman is a satirical narrative that examines the life of the fictional aristocrat Erica Blaise, exploring themes of privilege, exploitation, and the commodification of art and artists. The piece uses humor and irony to critique the superficiality and destructiveness of high society's engagement with the creative world.

The narrative begins by introducing Erica Blaise as someone born into immense wealth and power, symbolized by the "several established truths in her mouth," one being her father's control over "three governments" and "options on two more." This hyperbolic depiction emphasizes the vast influence and reach of her family's wealth. The other "truth" concerns her physical appearance, described with a sharp irony as "ugly" with "aesthetics... poorly handled by her maker." Despite—or perhaps because of—this perceived flaw, Erica is endowed with intense appetites, akin to those associated with the infamous Marquis de Sade, suggesting a penchant for excess and decadence.

The text swiftly dismisses the conventional narrative of an aristocratic upbringing, hinting that such backgrounds are monotonous until the individual reaches adulthood, when their true influence and desires come into play. Erica, as Countess Blaise, is described as being unable to destroy "ordinary people," whose destruction is typically managed "on a corporate scale." This darkly humorous observation implies that the societal elite's actions often lead to large-scale harm, but Erica's personal pursuits must be more selective.

She finds her targets in the artistic community, a group depicted as willingly suffering for their art. Kaufman paints a vivid picture of Erica's predatory relationship with artists, describing them as "hungry people" whose "diet was pain—flavored with self-taught self-pity." This characterization suggests that these artists, whether consciously or not, thrive on suffering, which Erica sees as an opportunity for exploitation rather than a call for empathy.

Erica begins to collect art and artists, treating them as trophies. The narrative describes her eclectic collection of artists with a mix of admiration and derision. This "hodgepodge of self-immolators" includes a wide range of figures, from "angelic American girl refugees" to "New York painters," "English prose writers," and "hot-blooded Spaniards." Each group is stereotypically characterized, highlighting their unique cultural traits and vulnerabilities. The artists are portrayed as desperate for recognition, willing to endure Erica's manipulations for a chance at success or survival.

The satire deepens as Kaufman describes Erica's collection process as a "vermilion safari," a metaphor for her hunting of artistic prey. This vivid imagery underscores the predatory nature of her actions and the superficiality of her engagement with these individuals. Erica's boredom with this pursuit eventually leads her to a new fascination: jazz. Described as "Africa's other face, stranded—in America," jazz represents a fresh and untapped world for Erica to explore. The mention of jazz being "stranded" suggests a cultural dislocation and the need for recognition and preservation, which Erica sees as a new challenge.

The narrative concludes with a note on leadership and influence, hinting at the inevitable involvement of someone like Erica in shaping the fate of jazz and other cultural movements. The final lines—"Many. But one must lead."—underscore the narrative's critique of the elite's role in co-opting and commodifying cultural expressions.

"Countess Erica Blaise: Chorus" is a sharp, ironic commentary on the dynamics between the privileged elite and the creative underclass. Kaufman uses the character of Erica Blaise to explore themes of power, exploitation, and the hollow pursuit of novelty, ultimately critiquing the superficiality and destructiveness inherent in such interactions. The piece serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of commodifying art and culture, reminding us of the deeper human experiences and histories that underlie these expressions.

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