Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Leave the Hand In" by John Ashbery stands as a multi-dimensional exploration of friendship, choices, and the impermanence of emotional landscapes. The poem is imbued with a casual tone that masks its intricate layers, inviting the reader to traverse through a series of seemingly unrelated, yet deeply evocative vignettes that collectively challenge our conventional understanding of interpersonal relations and life choices.

The poem opens with an elusive reference to a Mr. Tuttle who "used to have to run in the streets." It's a statement that immediately brings questions to the mind. Why did he have to run? What has changed now? And in the same breath, the poem speaks of friendships being "fully booked," as though intimacies are commercial transactions or appointments that can be scheduled and become overbooked.

"Sporting with amaryllis in the shade" is an imagery that conjures leisure, peace, and perhaps even a kind of idyllic love. Yet, this calmness is juxtaposed with competition: "when your sparring partner gets there first / you wonder if it was all worth it." Ashbery suggests that friendships and relationships aren't merely harmonious, but are often fraught with rivalries, doubts, and existential questions such as, "Yes, why do it?"

The narrator then speaks of being "on hold," of waiting, as background music plays. This could signify periods in life where we're in a state of limbo, waiting for something-friendship, love, or any form of relationship-to "grow on me." The waiting here is not passive; it's full of questions, judgments, and considerations-symbolized by the line, "I meant no harm."

Interestingly, the poem touches on the freedom of children and the complications of adult choices. While "Children too are free to go and come as they please," the adults face elections and choices: "I ask you only to choose between us, then shut down this election." This line could signify the complex navigations and decisions that adults have to make in relationships.

"But don't reveal too much of your hand at any given time," advises the poem, suggesting that life and relationships are akin to a game where strategy, concealment, and pacing oneself are crucial. "Leave the hand in, / or change the vows," adds another layer of complexity. It implies that one could either keep investing in a relationship or change the terms altogether, a decision made even more dire with the line, "The bold, enduring menace of courtship is upon us / like the plague."

The ending of the poem leaves us with the image of a "marshland" as a home. This suggests instability, a ground that is neither entirely solid nor entirely liquid-perhaps an allegory for the emotional and relational complexities discussed throughout the poem. "After dinner was wraparound. You got a tender little look at it," adds an intimate touch, hinting at the tiny, precious moments that make life worth all its complexity.

"Outside, it never did turn golden," the poem concludes, dispelling any notion of easy resolutions or fairy-tale endings. In its ambiguity and fragmented narration, "Leave the Hand In" becomes a textured tapestry of human complexities. It doesn't aim to provide answers but rather impels us to grapple with the myriad questions and choices that define our lives and relationships.

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