Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Lament, for Cocoa" by John Updike is a playful yet melancholic poem that uses the simple act of drinking cocoa as a metaphor for aging and the passing of time. The poem elegantly captures the fleeting nature of pleasure and the inevitable decay that time brings to all things, even something as delightful as a cup of hot cocoa.

The poem begins with a direct and immediate expression of disappointment: "The scum has come / My cocoa's cold." This abrupt opening sets the tone for a lament, as the warmth and enjoyment anticipated from the cocoa are lost, mirroring the speaker's sense of personal loss as they reflect on their own life. The cocoa, once hot and enticing, has cooled; similarly, the speaker feels their own vitality waning as they "grow old."

Updike uses the cocoa as an extended metaphor to explore themes of aging. The description of the cocoa transitioning from "bubbled beige / And burning hot" to being "too hot to be / Too quickly quaffed" reflects the zest and intensity of youth, a phase that is often not fully appreciated until it begins to fade. The speaker’s decision to let the cocoa sit, opting to eat "toast or two" while it cools, suggests a missed opportunity, paralleling how one might look back at past years wishing they had savored moments more before they slipped away.

The passage of time is poignantly captured in "Alas. Time flies / And minutes chill." Here, Updike highlights a universal truth—the relentless march of time, which cools the heat of life just as it cools the cocoa. The cocoa becomes "Dull brown and still," losing its vibrant, appealing qualities, much like the fading vigor of old age.

The conclusion of the poem, "How wearisome! / In likelihood, / The scum, once come, / Is come for good," resigns to the permanence of this unwelcome change. The formation of scum on the cocoa is irreversible, a natural consequence of neglecting the beverage too long, just as certain effects of aging are irreversible and become a permanent part of one’s existence.

Overall, "Lament, for Cocoa" uses the simple, everyday experience of a cooling cup of cocoa to reflect deeper existential themes. Updike's skillful use of metaphor illustrates how something as mundane as drinking cocoa can evoke reflections on life’s impermanence, the inevitability of aging, and the bittersweet nature of time’s passage. The poem resonates with anyone who has felt the poignant sting of time altering something once cherished, reminding us to savor moments before they are irrevocably changed.

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