Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Mark Jarman's poem "The Supremes" vividly captures a moment of youthful nostalgia, intertwining the experiences of surfing, the allure of music, and the passage of time. Through rich imagery and reflective narrative, Jarman explores themes of memory, change, and the enduring impact of brief, yet significant, encounters.

The poem opens in Ball's Market, where a group of surfers, including the speaker, stands shivering in wet trunks: "We stand in wet trunks, shivering, / As icing dissolves off our sweet rolls / Inside the heat-blued counter oven." This image sets a scene of youthful camaraderie and the simple pleasures of post-surfing rituals. The sudden appearance of The Supremes on a portable TV marks a pivotal moment: "When they appear on his portable TV, / Riding a float of chiffon as frothy / As the peeling curl of a wave." The comparison of the float to a wave seamlessly blends the world of surfing with the world of music, suggesting a harmony between these two sources of joy and excitement.

Jarman's description of The Supremes' performance, with their gloved hands raised and singing "Stop! In the Name of Love," captures the captivating allure of their presence: "Gloved up to their elbows, their hands raised / Toward us palm out, they sing, / 'Stop! In the Name of Love,' and don’t stop, / But slip into the lower foreground." This moment is both a literal television broadcast and a metaphorical entry into the memories of the young surfers.

The poem then shifts to a broader reflection on the nature of memory: "Every day of a summer can turn, / From one moment, into a single day." Jarman connects this summer memory to seeing Diana Ross in her first film by the Pacific, which serves as a touchstone for that entire summer: "And that was the summer it brought back." The imagery of the waves, initially cold and flawless in the morning, warming and swelling as the sun burns through the fog, parallels the gradual unfolding of the day's and summer's experiences.

Jarman poignantly reflects on the different perspectives of those involved: "She must remember that summer / Somewhat differently. And so must the two / Who sang with her in long matching gowns." The recognition that Diana Ross and her fellow singers have their own distinct memories underscores the personal and subjective nature of recollection.

The poem captures the youthful innocence and limited understanding of the young surfers: "But what could we know, tanned white boys, / Wiping sugar and salt from our mouths, / And leaning forward to feel their song?" This line highlights their naive but earnest engagement with the music and the moment, emphasizing the simplicity and purity of their enjoyment.

The closing stanzas reflect on the inevitable passage of time and the changes it brings: "We didn’t stop either, which is how / We vanished, too, parting like spray— / Ball’s Market, my friends and I." The destruction of the waves by dredgers and the selling of Ball's Market to high rises symbolize the loss of the familiar and cherished past. The speaker's reminiscence of flights over the waves, seeing them from above as "frail and frozen, / Full of simple sweetness and repetition," captures the enduring, yet static, nature of these memories.

In "The Supremes," Mark Jarman masterfully intertwines the fleeting moments of youth with the lasting impact of music and shared experiences. Through vivid imagery and reflective prose, the poem evokes a sense of nostalgia and the bittersweet passage of time, inviting readers to reflect on their own memories and the moments that have shaped their lives.

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