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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
Edward Field’s poem "Graffiti" explores themes of subversion, creativity, and rebellion. By presenting the youthful defacement of advertisements and subway signs as an act of artistic liberation, Field challenges conventional notions of propriety and authority. He invites readers to view graffiti not as vandalism but as an exuberant assertion of identity and an expression of youthful defiance. Field opens with a blessing: “Blessings on all the kids who improve the signs in the subways.” By using the word “improve,” he immediately aligns himself with the kids and their playful, irreverent alterations of commercial imagery. The choice of “improve” suggests that the graffiti artists are not defacing the signs but rather enhancing them by revealing hidden truths and injecting humor into the sanitized world of advertising. The fashionable lady selling soap is “improved” with a beard, and her “flat chest” is given “the boobies of a chorus girl.” This humorous transformation critiques the unrealistic beauty standards imposed by advertisements while subverting the polished, idealized image of femininity. Field continues to highlight the kids’ irreverent humor by describing how they draw a “hairy cunt” on the lady’s mummy-like hips. The crude language here underscores the rebellion against societal norms that suppress and sanitize sexuality. The bathing beauty with “the enormous prick in her mouth” is made to declare, “Eat hair pie; it’s better than cornflakes.” This juxtaposition of crude sexuality and wholesome commercial slogans exemplifies the subversive spirit of graffiti. By replacing the original advertising message with vulgar humor, the kids expose the underlying absurdity and artificiality of consumer culture. The little boy in a Tarzan suit now has “a fine pair of balls to crow about,” further emphasizing the theme of subverting societal expectations around innocence and propriety. Field recognizes the resilience of the kids’ rebellious spirit, noting that “as often as you wash the walls and put up your posters,” the “bright-eyed kids will come with grubby hands.” Despite the authorities' attempts to maintain control by cleaning the graffiti and replacing defaced signs, the kids persist in their creative defiance. Their “grubby hands” symbolize their unpolished authenticity and their refusal to be subdued by the sterile environment of the subway. Even with surveillance from the “caged booth,” the authorities cannot “watch them all the time,” and the kids take advantage of the gaps in vigilance to “giggle behind an iron pillar” as they scrawl their subversive messages. This imagery of giggling boys and girls behind a pillar captures the sense of camaraderie and joy that underpins their defiance. The poem takes a poignant turn as Field acknowledges the harsh realities awaiting these children: “Into a winter that will freeze them forever.” This line implies that societal constraints and hardships will eventually erode their youthful exuberance. Despite this grim future, the kids leave behind “a wall scrawled all over with flowers / That shoot great drops of gism through the sky.” This concluding image juxtaposes the beauty of flowers with the vulgarity of “gism,” symbolizing the irrepressible life force and creative energy that graffiti represents. Structurally, "Graffiti" is written in free verse, allowing Field to capture the fluidity and spontaneity of the kids’ actions. The poem’s lack of rigid structure mirrors the unrestrained nature of graffiti itself, while the conversational tone invites the reader to share in the playful spirit of the defacement. In summary, "Graffiti" is a celebration of youthful rebellion and creativity. Edward Field captures the subversive spirit of graffiti artists, presenting their crude humor and defiant alterations as a critique of consumer culture and societal norms. Through vivid imagery and irreverent language, Field urges readers to recognize graffiti as an authentic expression of identity and an assertion of the joy and resilience of youth.
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