Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"A Wheeze for Wystan" is a poem by Theodore Roethke that pays tribute to the poet W.H. Auden. The title itself is a play on words, as "wheeze" can refer to both a sound made by someone struggling to breathe and a clever or witty remark.

The poem begins with Roethke describing his admiration for Auden's poetry and his own desire to emulate it: "I too, have praised the public man;/Hoping, after some sweet banquet,/To nod my head and say, as the lights grow dim,/That was my thought." However, he soon acknowledges that Auden's influence on him goes beyond mere imitation, and that he has been transformed by the other poet's work: "But all I see, familiar as the pond,/The careless trees, the palings, the well-known house,/Is, in the weird light of another world,/A queer, fantastic blur, beyond my reach."

Throughout the poem, Roethke employs vivid imagery and whimsical language to convey his admiration for Auden, describing him as a "voice of life" and a "laughing father," and portraying him as a figure of both wisdom and humor. He also reflects on the fleeting nature of human life and the enduring power of art: "For Time, a thief that slyly steals our treasure,/Leaves us, at last, a half-remembered joke,/Or verse that flies, like birds about the bough."

Overall, "A Wheeze for Wystan" is a playful and heartfelt tribute to the enduring influence of poetry, and to the connections that can be forged between writers across generations