Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Kay Ryan’s poem "Two More, and Up Goes the Donkey" is an exploration of memory, imagination, and the interplay between belief and disillusionment. Inspired by an old carnival cry and drawing on a reference from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, the poem reflects on how childhood wonder and the promises of spectacle linger in the minds of those who once believed. Through her characteristic brevity, wit, and layered meanings, Ryan investigates the tension between what was promised and what was delivered, leaving readers to ponder the relationship between expectation, experience, and the enduring power of imagination.

The title itself—"Two More, and Up Goes the Donkey"—echoes the cry of a fairground showman, enticing his audience to part with their pennies for the promise of an improbable spectacle: a donkey performing a precarious balancing act. The phrase captures both the hopefulness of the crowd and the inherent absurdity of the promise. This cry, imbued with nostalgia, sets the tone for the poem, suggesting a yearning for the wonder and innocence of childhood while hinting at the inevitability of disillusionment.

The poem opens with a reference to Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, grounding the fantastical cry in a historical and cultural context. This framing device lends a sense of authenticity to the narrative, while the fragmented and seemingly nonsensical line following the reference—"alone him more peleco he pole i never lome a"—mimics the garbled, half-remembered phrases of childhood or an impression of an incantation. It evokes the incompleteness of memory, where details blur and distort over time, leaving only fragments of the original experience.

Ryan then shifts her focus to the lingering impact of the fairground promise: "Old men / who were boys then continue to imagine / how it would have been to see a donkey / balancing above them." Here, the transition from childhood to old age highlights the enduring power of memory and imagination. The verb "continue" emphasizes the persistence of this image, suggesting that the promise of the spectacle has outlasted the reality of the event—or even the likelihood that it ever occurred. The image of the donkey "balancing above them" serves as a metaphor for suspended belief, the precarious balancing act of holding onto wonder in the face of life’s realities.

The poem delves into the variations in how the memory is imagined: "Some see all four small hooves compressed on the post top; some see one." This divergence reflects the subjective nature of memory and imagination. Each individual reconstructs the event differently, based on what they remember—or wish to remember. The specificity of "four small hooves" versus "one" captures the minutiae of belief, the ways in which personal perspectives shape a shared experience. It also underscores the fragility of the spectacle itself, as the image teeters between possibility and impossibility.

The poem’s final lines introduce a note of ambiguity: "It depends upon which penny wasn't spent / which trick wasn't done." This conclusion ties the memory of the donkey to the act of participation—the pennies collected and the actions that followed. The phrase "which penny wasn’t spent" hints at missed opportunities or unfulfilled promises, suggesting that the spectacle may have hinged on just one more contribution. Similarly, "which trick wasn’t done" leaves open the possibility that the donkey’s performance was never completed—or never intended to be. This unresolved ending invites readers to question whether the event was ever real or merely a construct of collective belief and expectation.

Structurally, the poem mirrors its thematic focus on fragmentation and ambiguity. The enjambment and sparse language create a sense of incompleteness, reflecting the fractured nature of memory and the gaps in what we know or believe. The shifts between historical reference, description, and speculation mimic the way the mind processes and reimagines past events, blending fact, fiction, and fantasy.

Thematically, "Two More, and Up Goes the Donkey" explores the power of imagination and the enduring allure of the improbable. It reflects on the promises of spectacle and the human desire to believe in something extraordinary, even when faced with evidence to the contrary. The poem also examines the ways in which memory and nostalgia shape our understanding of the past, highlighting the interplay between what was experienced and what was imagined. In doing so, Ryan captures the bittersweet tension between innocence and disillusionment, hope and reality.

In conclusion, "Two More, and Up Goes the Donkey" is a thoughtful and richly layered exploration of memory, belief, and the enduring power of imagination. Through her characteristic economy of language and sharp imagery, Kay Ryan invites readers to reflect on the promises of childhood and the ways they linger in the mind, reshaped by time and perspective. The poem leaves us suspended, like the donkey above the crowd, in a space where wonder and skepticism coexist, reminding us of the fragile beauty of belief and the stories we tell ourselves to sustain it.

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