Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Lawrence Ferlinghetti's poem "A Coney Island Of The Mind: 20" is a vivid reflection on the intertwining of memory, love, and a child's imaginative longing, set against the nostalgic backdrop of a penny candy store. With its rich imagery and layered symbolism, the poem explores the collision between innocence and the awareness of mortality, revealing Ferlinghetti’s deft ability to evoke poignant and universal themes.

The poem begins with the striking image of "The pennycandystore beyond the El," situating the reader in a specific time and place, somewhere beneath the elevated train tracks of urban America. This humble candy store becomes a sacred space where the speaker "first / fell in love / with unreality." The "unreality" that Ferlinghetti speaks of is embodied in the magical, almost surreal glow of "Jellybeans" in "the semi-gloom / of that september afternoon." The store's interior, with its "licorice sticks / and tootsie rolls / and Oh Boy Gum," evokes a child's world of vibrant imagination, where candy becomes a symbol of unrestrained joy and limitless possibility.

Adding to the whimsical atmosphere is a cat that "moved along / the licorice sticks," highlighting the sense of movement and life within the candy store. The cat’s presence enhances the store's dreamlike quality, suggesting a timeless world suspended between reality and fantasy.

Yet, outside the store, Ferlinghetti juxtaposes this interior magic with the changing seasons: "Outside the leaves were falling as they died." The falling leaves remind the reader of the impermanence of life and the inevitability of death, providing a stark contrast to the timeless joy inside the store. This contrast is further underscored by the line, "A wind had blown away the sun," signaling a shift toward gloominess and foreboding.

In the midst of this setting, a girl enters the candy store, bringing with her a sense of fresh vitality and the promise of youthful love. Her entrance is described with vivid imagery: "Her hair was rainy / Her breasts were breathless in the little room." The "rainy" hair suggests a recent encounter with the elements, while "breathless" implies a sense of urgency and excitement, possibly reflective of the speaker's own emotions upon seeing her. The girl's appearance, combined with the atmosphere of the candy store, creates a poignant, almost cinematic moment of romantic potential.

The poem circles back to the theme of mortality as the leaves outside continue to fall, crying out "Too soon! too soon!" The repetition of this line, paired with the personification of the leaves, underscores the premature nature of their fall, mirroring the fleeting nature of youthful love and the impermanence of life itself. The lamentation of the leaves serves as a poignant reminder that time passes quickly, and that the joys of childhood and love are often ephemeral.

In "A Coney Island Of The Mind: 20," Ferlinghetti masterfully blends nostalgia, longing, and the recognition of mortality to create a multi-layered poem that resonates deeply. The penny candy store becomes a metaphor for the innocence and wonder of childhood, while the falling leaves and dying sun reflect the inevitable encroachment of reality and the passage of time. Through the interplay of vivid imagery and rhythmic language, Ferlinghetti captures the bittersweet realization that while the joys of youth and love are fleeting, their memories linger, illuminating the darkness with a glow as vibrant as jellybeans in the semi-gloom.

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