Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"The Bungalows" is a poem written by John Ashbery and was first published in his collection "Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror" in 1975. Ashbery was a prominent figure in the New York School of poetry, known for his experimental and non-linear approach to writing.

Context:

"The Bungalows" is a surreal and dreamlike poem that challenges traditional notions of form and narrative. The poem explores the relationship between memory, perception, and the passing of time.

Content:

The poem begins with a description of a row of bungalows, which are described as "like a row of rabbit hutches." The imagery is unsettling and suggests a sense of claustrophobia or confinement. The speaker then reflects on a memory of being in a car with a friend, driving down a road and feeling a sense of freedom and possibility.

As the poem progresses, the imagery becomes increasingly surreal and disjointed: "The sky was a little bit blue here, / A little bit yellow there." The lines suggest a sense of instability and uncertainty, as if the speaker's perception of the world is constantly shifting and changing.

The poem ends with a return to the bungalows, but the imagery is now tinged with melancholy: "It's always the end of the season, / The bungalows boarded up and gone." The lines suggest a sense of loss and impermanence, as if the passing of time has rendered the speaker's memories and experiences meaningless.

Structure:

"The Bungalows" is composed of thirty lines divided into four stanzas. The poem has a free-verse structure, meaning that it does not follow a regular meter or rhyme scheme. The lack of a set structure contributes to the poem's sense of fragmentation and dislocation.

Rhyme:

The poem does not have a traditional rhyme scheme, but it does contain a few instances of internal rhyme and alliteration, such as "sky was a little bit blue here, / A little bit yellow there."

Summary:

"The Bungalows" is a masterful example of postmodernist poetry that challenges traditional notions of form and narrative. Ashbery's use of surreal imagery and fragmented structure serves to disrupt conventional ideas of meaning and form, and the poem ultimately invites the reader to engage in their own interpretation and analysis. The poem's themes of memory, perception, and the passing of time are universal and resonate with readers on a deeply emotional level. Overall, "The Bungalows" is a powerful and evocative poem that showcases Ashbery's skill and innovation as a poet.

Poem Snippet:

"It's always the end of the season,
The bungalows boarded up and gone.
One wonders where the occupants went
And why he didn't notice how they crept
Away together, under the trees,
While he talked and talked."

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