Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Deception" by Rafael Alberti is a profound meditation on the nature of betrayal, the elusiveness of truth, and the impending inevitability of death. The poem opens with an enigmatic figure positioned "behind you, at your back," manipulating perception through words. This figure is ethereal, "bodyless," and "soulless," essentially transforming into a metaphor for the various forms of deception that people encounter in life. Whether it is societal norms, betrayals in personal relationships, or even one's own self-delusions, the poem captures the essence of being misled.

Words, in this poem, are not just symbols of expression but also tools of manipulation: "sealing your eyes with words." Alberti seems to emphasize that words, while they have the power to illuminate, also have the potential to cloud judgment, to deceive. This sentiment is encapsulated in the term "false glass," illustrating that words can distort reality as much as they can clarify it. This distortion is then compared to walking "Blind, down a tunnel of gold," which furthers the notion that even what appears valuable and glittering may lead to peril. The "tunnel of gold" can also symbolize the allure of false promises or illusions that one follows, thinking it will lead to something precious, but that actually leads to "death underground."

"Of evil mirrors," another potent image in the poem, echoes the theme of deception and distorted reality. Mirrors reflect but can also deceive depending on the light and angle. The "evil mirrors" can be interpreted as societal constructs or self-imposed beliefs that deviate from the truth. "You'll meet up with death underground" suggests that the consequence of deception, whether external or internal, is isolation, a confrontation with the finality of life itself. This confrontational moment with death, however, is not marked by epiphany but by the realization that the deceptive voice is still present: "And someone behind you, at your back, always."

The cyclic nature of the poem-starting and ending with a mysterious figure "behind you"-creates a loop, a perpetual cycle of deception that is both haunting and revelatory. It insinuates that deception is not an isolated event but a continuous experience that shadows life until its final moment. Even in the face of death, the ultimate truth, deception lingers "at your back, always."

Alberti's "Deception" is a poetic foray into the complexities of human perception, where the speaker is drawn into a labyrinth of illusion, only to find death waiting at its core. The poem does not offer a way out but leaves the reader to contemplate the omnipresent nature of deception in our lives-a chilling but poignant commentary on human existence.

POEM TEXT:

Someone behind you, at your back,

sealing your eyes with words.

Behind you, bodyless,

soulless.

Smoky voice of dream,

cut.

Smoky voice,

cut.

With words, false glass.

Blind, down a tunnel of gold,

of evil mirrors,

you'll meet up

with death underground.

You there alone, with death,

underground.

And someone behind you, at your back,

Always.

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