Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Spleen" by Stephen Dobyns offers a reflective and metaphorically rich examination of the human spleen and its symbolic association with emotions, particularly anger and melancholy. The poem creatively challenges and satirizes the traditional notions about the spleen being the source of these darker feelings, while simultaneously exploring broader themes of human emotion and the complexity of the human condition.

The poem begins with an apostrophe to the spleen, personifying this often overlooked organ as a "much maligned one" and a "meager hunkerer beneath the heart." Dobyns addresses the spleen directly, sympathizing with its slandered reputation. This sets a tone of reconsideration, or perhaps correction, of the common misunderstandings about the spleen's function and symbolic implications. The speaker dismisses the old belief that the spleen generates anger, humorously downplaying its role in the body by comparing it to a "diminutive carwash of the blood," which casually removes dead cells as a monkey picks lice—more a hobby than a profession like that of the liver.

Dobyns introduces an anecdote about a doctor who kept spleens preserved in bottles, raising philosophical questions about the persistence of emotions like anger and sadness in those from whom the spleens were removed. This surreal image underlines the absurdity of attributing complex human emotions solely to the presence or absence of a physical organ. The doctor’s reaction—thinking the speaker was crazy—further emphasizes the disconnect between scientific understanding and emotional experiences.

The mention of a friend who, despite lacking a spleen, continues to exhibit strong emotions in "shoddy bars" or under the moon, supports the speaker's skepticism about the spleen’s role in emotional regulation. This real-life observation contradicts the old myths, suggesting that emotions are not merely products of physical processes but are inherent and integral to human nature.

The poem shifts to a more philosophical reflection, questioning whether the absence of the spleen would allow a person to live a life of unchecked joy and humor, free from the "proof of falsehood, injustice or greed." This rhetorical questioning is both ironic and critical of societal systems, implying that if the spleen truly were responsible for negative emotions, institutions driven by profit and power (like banks or courts) would have exploited this for societal control.

In the concluding stanzas, Dobyns asserts that his emotions—anger and melancholy—are intrinsically his own, integral to his being and perception of the world. Anger is described as the "sweetener" that allows the speaker to taste life fully, suggesting that emotions, even those considered negative, enrich human experience and give depth to our interactions with the world. The closing lines of the poem juxtapose the concepts of burden and dream, reality and ideal, further exploring the duality of human experience.

Overall, "Spleen" delves deeply into the interplay between biology, emotion, and human identity, using the spleen as a focal point for a broader meditation on how emotions shape and define our lives. Dobyns challenges the reader to reconsider the origins and impacts of their feelings, ultimately celebrating the complexity and essential nature of human emotions in shaping our understanding of the world.

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