Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Slumberer" by John Ashbery is a richly textured, surreal narrative poem that defies conventional interpretation and revels in its complexity and ambiguity. Ashbery's poem is characteristic of his style, which often eschews linear storytelling in favor of associative leaps, unexpected turns, and a collage of images and ideas.

The poem opens with an image of someone "Bug-eyed at the possibilities / she slumbers," suggesting a state of being overwhelmed or in awe, yet also dormant or inactive. This dichotomy between potentiality and inaction sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which navigates through various scenes and dialogues, each suffused with a sense of the uncanny and the absurd.

The reference to "anthrax" and the figure of the governor emerging "out of the coal bin" adds a layer of dark humor and political satire. The poem seems to comment on the disjunction between political authority and the chaotic, unpredictable nature of reality.

Ashbery's poem is filled with vivid, often bizarre imagery: flamingos taking flight, a zoo attendant offering advice, werewolves circling, and skeleton golfers on a peat-bog golf course. These images create a dreamlike, almost nightmarish landscape where the boundaries between the real and the unreal are blurred.

The dialogue with the zoo attendant, who advises against interfering with the animals, can be read as a metaphor for the human condition. The attendant's speech on the tragi-comic nature of life and the futility of well-intentioned actions reflects a sense of existential resignation and the complexity of ethical choices.

Throughout the poem, there is a recurring theme of being somewhere else or desiring to be elsewhere. This longing for escape or transformation is juxtaposed with the eerie, stagnating atmosphere of the "ghost-zoo." The poem captures the human desire for transcendence while acknowledging the constraints of reality.

The ending of the poem, with the departure of a character and the protagonists wondering about their purpose and how to extricate themselves, underscores the themes of uncertainty and the search for meaning. The image of the "truant lens / in some aged Kodak" suggests a longing for clarity and understanding in a world that is constantly shifting and elusive.

In "Slumberer," Ashbery crafts a labyrinthine world where logic and narrative coherence give way to a rich tapestry of impressions and reflections. The poem invites multiple interpretations, challenging the reader to find their own path through its surreal landscape.

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