Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Cross-Legged, the Spider and the Web," Charles Olson presents a brief yet intense meditation on reverence, desire, and the pursuit of understanding. This poem explores themes of devotion, fixation, and the mysterious allure of femininity, invoking imagery that borders on ritualistic worship. Olson’s speaker instructs a form of self-transcendence through deliberate observation and engagement, portraying a journey into the depths of perception and knowledge, which are tied symbolically to the figure of the woman and her “parts.”

The opening line, "with this body worship her," sets the poem’s tone, suggesting an act of reverence that goes beyond the intellectual and enters the physical. The use of "this body" implies that one’s entire being—physical and spiritual—is engaged in this act of worship. This phrasing also introduces a tone of humility, as if the speaker is offering everything, grounded in bodily experience, to understand or honor the woman. Olson’s word choice here aligns with themes in Eastern philosophy, where worship and meditation involve immersing oneself fully, crossing the line between observer and observed, thus suggesting that to “worship” might mean to dissolve the ego in pursuit of something greater or more profound.

The next line, "if necessary arrange / to sit before her parts," places the speaker in a state of submission, suggesting that reverence can take a focused, almost ascetic form. The phrase "her parts" functions on multiple levels: while it might refer to physicality, it can also represent various aspects of her identity, her role as a figure of allure, mystery, or inspiration. This detail evokes the image of a “spider and the web,” the titular metaphor suggesting a network or a web of complexity that Olson’s speaker is compelled to unravel or understand. The spider, associated with both creation and patience, serves as a guiding image for the observer’s attitude—sitting cross-legged, attentive, and committed to understanding even the smallest details, symbolic of the intricacies of the feminine or the unknown.

The notion that she "might object" introduces a tension between the speaker’s desire for insight and the woman’s autonomy. Olson subtly acknowledges that this act of reverent observation could be invasive or unwelcome, and his instruction to "ask her for your sake to cover / her head" suggests a complex negotiation between the desire to know and the respect for the unknown’s autonomy. The head covering may symbolize her privacy or boundaries, an idea that acknowledges her agency even as the speaker seeks insight. This request emphasizes that the journey toward knowledge is not without respect for the other’s independence.

The core of the poem’s meaning becomes clear in the repetition of "look" and "keep looking until you do know." This repetition reflects an insistence on penetrating insight, where seeing is not merely visual but cognitive and spiritual. The speaker is directed to keep looking, an instruction that suggests that understanding is something earned through persistence, akin to meditation or a rite of passage. Olson’s demand to “look until / you know” reflects an awareness that the pursuit of truth or beauty is not easily achieved and that persistence in this journey can be as blinding as it is illuminating. The image of staring "to blindness" conveys both the consuming nature of this quest and the risk it involves—one might lose oneself entirely in the act, but this loss is essential for transformation or deeper understanding.

In "Cross-Legged, the Spider and the Web," Olson creates a poetic experience that illustrates the intensity of seeking knowledge, especially when that knowledge is bound up in the complexities of desire, reverence, and the mysteries represented by the feminine. The poem suggests that understanding or enlightenment comes only after intense devotion and the willingness to be transformed in the process. In this way, Olson’s work reads like an invitation to see with unyielding clarity and an acknowledgment of the respect and humility needed in approaching the unknown.

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