Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Promises: 16. Ballad of a Sweet Dream of Peace: 4, Friends of the Family, or Bowling a Sticky Cricket," Robert Penn Warren continues his exploration of surreal, nightmarish imagery to delve into the complexities of human behavior, societal norms, and the concept of law. The poem introduces an enigmatic figure, an "old friend of the family," who embodies a dark, almost grotesque facet of society. Through this character and his bizarre actions, Warren interrogates the inscrutability of law and the moral judgments that govern human actions.

The poem begins with a rhetorical question: "Who else, in God's name, comes out in these woods?" This question immediately sets a tone of both curiosity and apprehension, as if the speaker is encountering yet another strange and unsettling presence in the dark woods. The phrase "Friends of the family" suggests familiarity or connection, yet the figure described is anything but ordinary. He is characterized as a "cranky old coot" who "mumbles and broods," dressed in a yachting cap and rusty frock coat. The placard he carries, proclaiming "I am the Law," adds an element of irony and absurdity. This man, with his outdated and eccentric appearance, is a self-proclaimed arbiter of law, but he seems to exist on the fringes of society, far from the conventional centers of legal authority.

The poem's next question, "What makes him go barefoot at night in God's dew?" invites the reader to ponder the motivations and background of this strange character. The speaker responds with a brusque retort, "In God's name, you idiot, so would you / If you'd suffered as he had to," suggesting that there is a deeper, possibly tragic, history behind the man's current state. This response implies that the man's actions and demeanor are the result of some profound personal ordeal, one that has driven him to the margins of society and led him to adopt his peculiar habits.

Warren then reveals the cause of the man's suffering: he was "expelled from his club for the horrible hobby that taught him the nature of law." The nature of this "horrible hobby" is gradually disclosed—he "drowned his crickets in claret." This detail is both bizarre and darkly humorous, adding to the poem's surreal atmosphere. The act of drowning crickets in wine, an otherwise innocent and insignificant act, becomes a point of moral and social contention. The club members, who used cologne, found this behavior intolerable, despite the fact that "they drown them in claret in Buckingham Palace." This line critiques the arbitrary and hypocritical nature of societal norms and legal judgments. What is deemed acceptable in one context, such as within the upper echelons of British royalty, is considered abhorrent in another, highlighting the subjective and often capricious nature of law and morality.

The man's subsequent expulsion from his club for his eccentric pastime illustrates how society enforces conformity and punishes those who deviate from accepted norms. The phrase "Law is inscrutable" underscores the complexity and ambiguity of legal and moral standards. The man, who has been cast out for his peculiarities, now wanders "barefoot in dusk and dew," embodying the figure of the outcast who is in search of something—perhaps understanding, justice, or redemption.

The poem culminates in the man’s cry in a "dark stone-glimmering place": "I have heard the voice in the dark, seeing not who utters. Show me Thy face!" This poignant plea echoes themes of existential angst and the human desire for answers in a seemingly indifferent universe. The "voice in the dark" can be interpreted as the voice of law, authority, or even a higher power, which the man seeks to confront or understand. His demand to see the face of this voice suggests a yearning for clarity or divine revelation in the midst of his confusion and suffering.

"Friends of the Family, or Bowling a Sticky Cricket" uses surreal imagery and dark humor to explore the arbitrary nature of law and societal norms. The man’s plight serves as a critique of how society ostracizes those who do not conform, as well as a meditation on the inscrutability of moral judgments. Warren presents the man as a tragic figure, a person who, having been rejected by the world, continues to seek understanding in the face of an unknowable and often cruel reality. The poem ultimately questions the fairness and rationale behind the rules that govern behavior, highlighting the tension between individual actions and collective judgments.

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