Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "The Problem of Anxiety," John Ashbery pens a poignant reflection on the passage of time and the existential disquiet that haunts human existence. The poem serves as a nuanced dialogue between the speaker and an unspecified "you," creating an ambience of intimacy and introspection.

The speaker begins by noting that fifty years have passed since living in "those dark towns," a phrase that suggests an emotional or psychological landscape rather than a geographical one. Despite the span of half a century, the speaker observes that "not much has changed," indicating a sense of existential stagnancy. The inability to "get from the post office to the swings in the park" symbolizes life's complexities and the challenges of navigating seemingly simple yet inexplicably difficult tasks.

The apple trees that "blossom in the cold, not from conviction," serve as a striking metaphor for the existential dilemma. Just like the trees, humans often continue to exist and perform societal roles not out of any deeply held belief or passion but because it's simply what's done. The speaker's hair color, likened to "dandelion fluff," symbolizes both the ephemeral nature of life and perhaps the onset of age, an unavoidable journey toward decay.

The poem takes an intriguing turn when the speaker imagines the poem being about "you," the unspecified second person. This introduces the question of subjectivity and the limitations of poetic representation. Would "you" include "descriptions of pain, and sex, and how shiftily people behave toward each other?" The speaker speculates that these facets of human experience are already covered in some other "book," suggesting that life's darker aspects are often overemphasized or maybe just well-trodden ground. Instead, the speaker has saved the minutiae, "the descriptions of chicken sandwiches, and the glass eye that stares at me in amazement," underscoring that the ordinary can be just as significant as the extraordinary in painting a vivid picture of human life.

The "glass eye" serves as a haunting metaphor for the perpetual disquiet that underscores the human condition. It "will never be appeased," much like the endless questions and anxieties that plague human existence. This inanimate object becomes a vessel for the speaker's anxieties, much like the "dark towns" that serve as an emotional backdrop for the poem.

Ultimately, "The Problem of Anxiety" resonates as an intimate and subtly unsettling exploration of existential anxieties that dwell in the minutiae of life. Ashbery doesn't offer solutions but rather probes the contours of questions that are both deeply personal and universally human. The poem culminates in an unsettling harmony, acknowledging that life's anxieties are ceaseless, yet suggesting that the careful observation and even celebration of the ordinary might offer a kind of solace or at least a different perspective.

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