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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
Muriel Rukeyser’s poem "Lives: Ryder" is a homage to the American painter Albert Pinkham Ryder, whose tumultuous and deeply evocative works mirror the tumult of his own life. Through intricate imagery and a tone that captures the very essence of Ryder’s artistic spirit, Rukeyser presents a vivid portrayal of the artist as a man whose identity is intertwined with the natural and psychological landscapes he depicts. The poem begins by positioning Ryder as a creation of the sea: "Call himself unbegun, for the sea made him; assemblages of waters gave him his color." This sets the stage for a narrative that emphasizes Ryder's connection to the natural world, particularly the sea, which serves as both his inspiration and his tormentor. The phrase "not the sea; coast-line, coast-water" differentiates between the vast, unknowable sea and the more familiar, immediate coastline, suggesting a nuanced relationship with nature. Rukeyser’s description of Ryder as a "Great salt-swept boldface captain, big-boned New Englander" places him firmly within the rugged, maritime culture of New England. His adventures and struggles are depicted as a continuous, unappeased journey: "drowning deep among the mysteries of the painful western adventure, circling in unappeased circles into America." This emphasizes the perpetual motion and searching inherent in Ryder's life and work. The poem then shifts to explore Ryder’s artistic process and the chaotic environment in which he created: "In his room wreckage of boxes, propped-leg, easel, couch, ashes, coal-keg, shells." This detailed inventory of his surroundings paints a picture of clutter and disarray, mirroring the inner turmoil and creative frenzy that characterized his life. Ryder’s method of painting—"laying the paint on, stacking color on, more pigment, dark and stormy"—is described with a tactile immediacy that conveys his intense, almost obsessive approach to his craft. Rukeyser captures Ryder’s physical presence in the world, his walks through rainy streets in a "great grey sweater," and his interactions with others, such as giving a painting to a "tubercular seamstress." These moments humanize Ryder, presenting him as a man deeply embedded in his community, yet simultaneously isolated by his singular vision and the demands of his art. The poem delves into Ryder’s philosophical and existential musings, particularly his "sea-belief in the sea / whose waters open swallow the army whole and save the tribe." This invokes the biblical story of the parting of the Red Sea, suggesting that Ryder saw his work as a form of deliverance or salvation, both for himself and for others. His paintings are described not as mere decorations, but as profound statements: "These are not paintings for comfort hung on walls. Paint over it, paint. It is a monument cracking and supernatural, an obelisk at the sea." Rukeyser portrays Ryder as a figure of contradiction and complexity, a "master of meaning and never mastering means." His art is depicted as raw and unrefined, yet deeply powerful, capturing the sublime and the supernatural. The "friable colors" of his paintings, their vulnerability to decay, symbolize the transient nature of beauty and the inevitable passage of time. The poem concludes with a powerful image of Ryder’s head as "moon the center of the storm" and his eyes as "boulders...washed by the drift of ocean." This final depiction encapsulates the essence of Ryder as an artist consumed by his vision, at once part of the natural world and distinct from it. His art, like his life, is marked by turbulence and intensity, leaving a lasting impression of his struggle to capture the ineffable. "Lives: Ryder" is a richly layered tribute that captures the spirit of Albert Pinkham Ryder through Rukeyser’s masterful use of language and imagery. It delves into the complexities of his character and the profound impact of his work, painting a portrait of an artist deeply connected to the elemental forces of nature and the depths of human emotion. Through this poem, Rukeyser immortalizes Ryder’s legacy, presenting him as a visionary whose art transcends the boundaries of time and space.
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