Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Lynn Emanuel’s poem "Out of Metropolis" beautifully captures the dichotomy between urban familiarity and the allure of rural America through the eyes of travelers seeking an escape from their everyday environments. This narrative journey is both a physical and metaphorical exploration of place and identity, revealing deep-seated yearnings for simplicity and connection with nature.

The poem begins with a vivid declaration of intent: "We’re headed for empty-headedness, / the featureless amnesias of Idaho, Nebraska, Nevada," suggesting a desire to leave behind the complexities or burdens of thought that often accompany urban life. Emanuel humorously notes that these states are "rich only in vowel sounds and alliteration," playfully emphasizing their perceived emptiness or blandness compared to the bustling metropolis the travelers are leaving behind.

The travelers' journey by train symbolizes a deliberate choice to engage slowly and contemplatively with the landscape. Emanuel writes, "We’re taking the train so we can see into the heart / of the heart of America framed in the windows’ cool / oblongs of light." The train windows frame the American heartland as a series of picturesque, almost cinematic snapshots, transforming the landscape into a visual feast that contrasts sharply with their usual surroundings.

Emanuel's imagery intensifies as the poem delves into the travelers' imaginations and desires: "We want cottages, farmhouses / with peaked roofs leashed by wood smoke to the clouds; / we want the golden broth of sunlight ladled over / ponds and meadows." These lines evoke a pastoral ideal, a longing for an idyllic and tranquil rural life that perhaps exists more in imagination than in reality. The mention of never having seen a meadow but wanting to "wade into one" underscores a deep-seated desire for immersive, firsthand experiences of nature, untainted by urban interference.

The poem then shifts to a more humorous and slightly irreverent tone as the travelers imagine consuming the landscape wholesale: "the long reach of our vision grabbing up great / handfuls and armloads of scenery at the clouds’ / white sale, at the bargain basement giveaway / of clods and scat and cow pies." Here, Emanuel captures the almost consumeristic approach to experiencing nature, as if the travelers could physically possess parts of the landscape as souvenirs or commodities.

As the poem progresses, the travelers' journey takes on a symbolic meaning: "We want to feel half / of America to the left of us and half to the right, ourselves / like a spine dividing the book in two, ourselves holding / the whole great story together." This metaphor of being a spine in a book not only highlights their role in bridging disparate parts of America but also suggests a deeper search for identity and purpose, centralizing their own experiences in the vast narrative of the country.

The conclusion of the poem brings a return to reality as the train reaches its destination, bringing into view the mundane elements of small-town life: "a Chevy dozing at a ribbon of curb, and here is a hound / and a trolley, the street lights on their long stems, here is the little park / and the park stuff." The dreamy, romantic vision of rural America meets the actual, lived-in world of its small towns, complete with its unremarkable and yet distinctly characteristic features.

Ultimately, "Out of Metropolis" is a poignant reflection on the longing for escape and the romanticization of rural life by those accustomed to urban environments. Through her vivid imagery and thoughtful metaphor, Emanuel not only critiques this idealization but also empathizes with the universal desire to find meaning and beauty in simpler surroundings. The poem ends with an acknowledgment of authorship and creation, subtly reminding us that our perceptions of places are often narratives we construct, as much about who we are as about the places themselves.

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