Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Clayton Eshleman’s poem "Before the Wall" is a profound meditation on the creative process, the personal confrontation with inner demons, and the struggle against external limitations. It is a text rich with symbolic imagery, drawing on a blend of personal introspection, mythological references, and historical allusions to explore the deeper truths of human existence and artistic expression.

The poem opens with a call to action, urging the reader to confront what is wrong both within themselves and in the world around them: "Unless you attack what is wrong, in you, and in your world, I say you repress." This statement sets the tone for the poem, emphasizing the necessity of confrontation and the danger of repression. The imagery of going "for the throat of your moon" suggests an aggressive pursuit of personal truths and mysteries, hinting at the potential violence involved in such a pursuit.

Eshleman questions the purpose of poetry and the poet’s role in confronting reality: "Do we actually stand before the wall for poetry?" This rhetorical question challenges the reader and the poet alike to consider the barriers—both literal and figurative—that they face in the act of creation and in life. The reference to drinking oneself to death "but such only fills up Dionysus" invokes the Greek god associated with wine, festivity, and chaos, further highlighting the theme of excess and its emptiness.

The poem then shifts to a more intimate reflection, with Eshleman addressing Nora Jaffe’s soul, expressing a desire for simple domestic happiness: "it is enough to have space to write in, time, and someone to live with who loves me, and whom I love." Yet, he acknowledges the complexity of shedding outward ceremonies, suggesting that while it is possible, it is also fraught with difficulty: "it can, and it can't." This paradox captures the ongoing tension between the ideal and the real, the personal aspirations and the external demands.

The imagery becomes more disturbing as Eshleman conjures the ghost of Federico García Lorca "before the wall every morning," a reference to Lorca's execution by fascist forces during the Spanish Civil War, a symbol of artistic and personal martyrdom. Salvador Dalí’s appearance in the poem, depicted in an act of mocking sexual aggression towards Lorca, starkly illustrates the poem's exploration of "eros conjunct with violence." This juxtaposition serves as a critique of how society often merges creativity with destruction, beauty with brutality.

Eshleman’s use of mythological and historical symbols deepens with references to "fettered Titans" and the questioning of our own multiplicity of selves or "merely register abyssal shudderings." These lines explore the depths of human consciousness and the existential uncertainty about the nature of self.

The closing lines ponder the meaning of an "E" on a stone, questioning whether it represented "mountain or gate," a "two-stalled stable" or "Man rejoicing." This ambiguity reflects the central theme of the poem—the search for meaning in symbols, words, and life itself, and the potential despair in facing the "primality" of such existential quests.

"Before the Wall" is a complex, layered poem that challenges the reader to confront their own barriers, both internal and external, and to reflect on the interplay between creation and destruction in art and life. Eshleman’s work encourages a deep, reflective engagement with the world and our place within it, urging a confrontation with the most profound elements of human nature and artistic endeavor.

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