Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Sunglasses" by John Updike, the poet crafts a vivid and colorful tableau that captures a moment of blissful intimacy on a beach, shaded by the metaphorical and literal lens of sunglasses. The poem is rich in vivid imagery, employing a palette of colors to paint a scene that is both idyllic and surreal. Through this use of color and intimate detail, Updike explores themes of perception, love, and the transformative power of nature and emotion.

The poem opens with a setting that is both fantastical and vibrant: "On an olive beach, beneath a turquoise sky / And a limeade sun, by a lurid sea, / While the beryl clouds went blithely by, / We ensconced ourselves, my love and me." The choice of colors here—olive, turquoise, limeade, lurid, beryl—is striking, each adding to a sense of an almost dreamlike, otherworldly place. This scenery sets the stage for a romantic and secluded encounter, with the couple "ensconced" away from the world. The use of color not only describes the scene but also sets a tone of enchantment and delight, suggesting that through their sunglasses, the world appears transformed and perhaps more vividly beautiful.

As the poem progresses, the focus shifts from the broader picturesque setting to the beloved: "O her verdant hair! and her aqua smile! / O my soul, afloat in an emerald bliss / That retained its tint all the watery while / And her copper skin, all verdigris!" Here, Updike personalizes the imagery, linking the colors directly to the emotions and physical appearance of the narrator's companion. Her "verdant hair" and "aqua smile" enhance the fantastical, almost mythical quality of her beauty, as seen through the eyes of the narrator. The phrase "my soul, afloat in an emerald bliss" suggests a deep, immersive joy that pervades his being, colored by the presence and perception of his loved one.

The imagery of "copper skin, all verdigris" is particularly evocative, suggesting not only the color but also a patina that forms over time, hinting at depth and the enduring nature of his affection, which has perhaps grown and changed over time like copper oxidizing into verdigris. This metaphor beautifully ties together the themes of lasting emotional impact and the transformative effect of love, seen and experienced through a different lens—much like sunglasses that alter one's visual perception.

"Sunglasses" can be seen as a reflection on how love colors our perception of the world, rendering it more vibrant and exquisite. Updike uses the motif of sunglasses as a filter through which reality is both shaded and illuminated, highlighting the subjective nature of beauty and emotion. The vivid, almost hyperbolic use of color throughout the poem enhances this effect, leaving the reader with a sense of both the intensity and the artifice that can accompany romantic perception. In essence, the poem captures a moment of profound connection and altered perception, where the world, seen alongside a beloved, is suffused with a richer palette of colors and emotions.

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