Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

James Schuyler's "Faure's Second Piano Quartet" is a poetic meditation that intertwines the sensory experience of music with the atmospheric details of a rainy day. The poem deftly captures the essence of a moment where external and internal worlds converge, creating a rich tapestry of sound, sight, and emotion.

The poem begins with a vivid description of the rain, which "comes / down in fat and random drops among / the ailanthus leaves." Schuyler immediately sets the scene by focusing on the natural world outside the window, highlighting the ailanthus tree—commonly known as the "tree of Heaven." This tree, with its blade-shaped leaves that shimmer in the moonlight, serves as a symbol of resilience and beauty amidst the urban landscape. The rain, described as "fat and random," suggests a sense of unpredictability and the raw, untamed nature of the environment.

As the poem progresses, Schuyler introduces the central element of the piece—music. The "rapid music" of Faure's Second Piano Quartet "fills in the spaces of / the leaves," creating an auditory layer that complements the visual imagery of the rain and leaves. The music is described as an "extra heartbeat, dangerous / and lovely," emphasizing its power to evoke deep emotions. The juxtaposition of the rapid music with the slower, more deliberate pace of the rain creates a dynamic tension within the poem, mirroring the contrasts between the natural and the man-made, the external and the internal.

The shift in tempo within the music is mirrored in the poem's shift in tone. The music becomes "Slower now, less like / the leaves, more like the rain which / almost isn't rain, more like thawed- / out hail." This transformation suggests a movement from something vibrant and alive to something more subdued and introspective. The rain, initially described as fat drops, now becomes something more delicate, almost imperceptible—"thawed- / out hail." This subtle change in the rain's character reflects the emotional shift within the speaker, from the initial liveliness brought on by the music to a quieter, more contemplative mood.

Schuyler then grounds the ethereal beauty of the music and rain in the mundane reality of "this / small apartment on / West 20th in Chelsea, New York." The contrast between the "mess" of the apartment and the "beauty" of the music and rain highlights the way art and nature can transcend ordinary surroundings. This juxtaposition emphasizes the transformative power of music, which can elevate even the most modest of settings into something extraordinary.

The poem concludes with a return to the imagery of the rain and music, as "Slowly the notes pour out, slowly, / more slowly still, fat rain falls." The repetition of the word "slowly" underscores the gradual, meditative nature of the experience. The rain, which initially appeared random and chaotic, now falls with a deliberate, measured pace, echoing the slow unfolding of the music. This final image of the rain falling in harmony with the music encapsulates the poem's exploration of the interplay between the external world and the internal emotional landscape.

"Faure's Second Piano Quartet" is a masterful exploration of how music and nature can intertwine to create a deeply resonant emotional experience. Through his careful attention to detail and his ability to capture the nuances of sound, sight, and feeling, Schuyler creates a poem that is both richly atmospheric and emotionally profound. The poem invites the reader to pause and reflect on the beauty that can be found in the simplest of moments, even within the confines of a small, cluttered apartment in the heart of New York City.

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