Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Muriel Rukeyser’s "Theory of Flight: The Gyroscope" is a profound meditation on desire, ambition, and the intricate dynamics of human will and the cosmos. Through vivid imagery and philosophical musings, Rukeyser explores the nature of movement, the expansion of consciousness, and the relentless drive of human aspiration.

The poem begins by establishing desire as an essential, powerful force: "But this is our desire, and of its worth. . . . / Power electric-clean, gravitating outward at all points." This desire is characterized by its purity and intensity, constantly moving outward, seeking to fuse with all durable substances yet remaining inherently untouchable. The imagery of "savage fire" and "homing in no hand nor breast nor sex" suggests an elemental, almost primordial force that transcends individual human experience.

Rukeyser introduces the concept of the gyroscope as a central metaphor for this dynamic force. The gyroscope, with its centrifugal power and expanding universes, represents the balance between motion and stillness, outward expansion and inner stability. "What stillnesses / lie at your center resting among motion?" she asks, highlighting the paradoxical nature of the gyroscope—its ability to maintain a stable center while spinning rapidly outward.

The poem delves into the idea of introspection and outward exploration: "Study communications, looking inward, find what traffic / you may have with your silences: looking outward, survey / what you have seen of places." This dual focus reflects the human need to understand both internal and external worlds, to balance self-awareness with the exploration of the larger universe. The mention of hearing one’s name spoken and the search for a ship that yields nothing further underscores the themes of searching and longing.

Rukeyser then poses a fundamental question: "shall we define desire / including every impulse toward psychic progress?" This question encapsulates the poem’s central concern with the nature of desire, not merely as a physical or emotional longing but as a drive towards intellectual and spiritual growth. The imagery of roads cut into the earth leading away from a central hub and the gyroscope’s perpetual motion suggests a continual push outward, driven by an inner core of desire and ambition.

The poem’s imagery becomes more intricate as Rukeyser explores the origins of humanity and the elements that have shaped our existence. "Flaming origins were our fathers in the heat of the earth," she writes, linking human development to the elemental forces of fire, water, and earth. These forces have provided life and riches, yet air remains elusive, mocking, and challenging our desires to push outward.

The gyroscope metaphor returns with greater intensity: "Here is the gyroscope whirling out pulsing in tides illimitably / widening, live force contained / in a sphere of rigid boundary." The gyroscope’s whirling motion and its rigid boundaries reflect the tension between limitless expansion and the constraints of physical and metaphysical boundaries. The poem suggests that this tension is central to understanding the dynamics of desire and ambition.

Rukeyser concludes by reflecting on the broader implications of desire and ambition: "The dynamics of desire are explained / in terms of action outward and reaction to a core / obscured and undefined, except, perhaps, as ‘God in Heaven,’ ‘God in Man.’" This recognition of a divine or transcendent core that drives outward action ties the poem’s themes to broader philosophical and spiritual questions. The imagery of "continual sunbursts," "the hammer swung to the anvil," and "the plane nose up into an open sky" evokes a sense of relentless pursuit and the promise of achieving higher states of being.

The final lines, "whirl in desire, hurry to ambition, return, / maintaining the soul’s polarity; be: fly," encapsulate the poem’s message. Rukeyser calls for an embrace of the dynamic forces of desire and ambition while maintaining an inner balance. The imperative to "be: fly" underscores the poem’s ultimate call to action— to engage fully with the forces that drive us, to seek and explore, and to find balance and fulfillment in the process.

"Theory of Flight: The Gyroscope" is a rich, complex exploration of human desire and ambition. Through her masterful use of metaphor and imagery, Rukeyser invites readers to reflect on the forces that drive us, the balance between inner and outer worlds, and the continual quest for growth and understanding.

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