Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

The poem "My Philosophy of Life" by John Ashbery encapsulates the struggles, paradoxes, and fleeting epiphanies one experiences while navigating the labyrinth of existence. Far from a pedantic dissertation, the poem is a sequence of ruminations that follow an internal odyssey as the speaker grapples with the concept of forming a "philosophy of life." This is a philosophy not derived from an ivory tower, but from the everyday instances that constitute human experience.

The speaker is confronted by the daunting task of choosing principles by which to live. He admits the difficulty of this selection, for adopting a specific life philosophy would inflect even the most mundane tasks, such as "eating watermelon or going to the bathroom." But instead of adopting a pedagogical tone, he leans towards a laissez-faire approach, injecting events with "the serum of the new moral climate." This somewhat nebulous moral climate is compared to stumbling upon a hidden staircase, a serendipitous finding that promises an entirely new trajectory. The notion of serendipity is reinforced by a fragrance that "overwhelms him," an experience not of the intellect but of the senses, reminding us that our philosophies often rise from visceral experiences as much as rational thought.

Yet, as soon as the speaker embarks on this conceptual journey, he finds himself in a quandary; "Not a single idea emerges from it." Even William James' intellectual gravitas fails to bring clarity. James, an eminent philosopher, represents the epitome of thoughtful living, yet his words appear as life's "dust," sprinkled "by chance." In this, Ashbery seems to assert the futility of attempting to condense life into a neat philosophical package. Philosophical principles, even when held by great minds, are still subject to the unpredictable variables of existence.

The poem's texture changes as it approaches its latter half. Ashbery switches from grand intellectual pursuits to quotidian activities: visiting public toilets, contemplating what one would do "after using the toilet," or even making jellies and preserves in the autumn. All these actions become metaphors for a way of life that is guided less by grand narratives and more by the immediate, the sensory, and the practical.

The poem's final segments oscillate between social conundrums and self-doubts. On one hand, the speaker doesn't want to be bogged down by others' judgments; on the other, he questions the way he used to act. He suggests a compromise, which could be seen as a microcosm of human condition-a ceaseless negotiation between one's internal world and the external universe. He admits, "there's a lot of fun to be had in the gaps between ideas," reminding us that existence can't be tied down to a rigid philosophy.

"My Philosophy of Life" does not propose answers; rather, it presents life as a series of questions that are both complex and tantalizing. Ashbery teaches us that our philosophy of life is an evolving construct, shaped by everyday experiences, accidental discoveries, and the ever-changing nature of our own thoughts and feelings. And while this philosophy may not come along every day, when it does, it appears as a "big one," a mammoth wave of realization that could drown us or take us to uncharted territories; in both cases, altering our understanding of life itself.

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