Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

James Galvin's "Untitled, 1968; For Mark Rothko" is a meditation on suffering, transformation, and the inevitability of change. Through vivid and sometimes haunting imagery, Galvin intertwines themes of art, mortality, and quietude, reflecting on the works and life of Mark Rothko, whose abstract paintings often evoke deep emotional responses.

The poem opens with a bold assertion: "There's no such thing as an emergency. / Betrayal is eventual." This sets a tone of inevitability, suggesting that crises and betrayals are not sudden but part of the continuum of existence. The line "The bridge is a river, when you think about it" introduces a metaphor that recurs throughout the poem, emphasizing the fluidity and interconnectedness of experiences.

The imagery of blood recurs powerfully: "River of blood, / when you think about it." This evokes visceral reactions and ties the poem's themes to physical and emotional pain. The repetition of "The Lord giveth" juxtaposes religious consolation with the stark realities of suffering, creating a tension between faith and experience.

"A veronica in each sunset" and "in every blackening bandage / in the hospital's unspeakable bins, a veronica" draw on the religious iconography of Saint Veronica, who is said to have wiped Jesus' face on his way to crucifixion, leaving an image of his face on her cloth. This suggests the presence of sacred moments in everyday suffering and mundane objects.

The lines "Someone suffered / here. / The elevator full of blood rose like any other. / Why not." confront the reader with the omnipresence of suffering, indifferent to location or circumstance. The detached tone underscores the universality and inevitability of pain.

"Our nets were full of sunset when we hauled them in. / The red sail / filled and pulled us darkward" uses the metaphor of a boat journey at sunset to symbolize the end of life and the passage into darkness. The imagery of "Blood in the drumroll blossomed" connects to Rothko's use of deep, vibrant colors that often evoke blood and sunset, suggesting a transformation that is both beautiful and tragic.

The command "Change the bandages when they blacken. / Don't think about it" reflects a pragmatic approach to dealing with pain and suffering, emphasizing action over contemplation. "Set the red sail and disappear. / Slow drip / in silence. / Don't say a word" continues this theme of quiet endurance and acceptance.

The line "Don't say the wineglass on the sill / is a sun-dried Sangreal. / It's a landscape. / You just can't bring / your body" contrasts mystical interpretation with a more grounded, physical reality. The Sangreal, or Holy Grail, represents the divine, but here it is reduced to a mundane object, highlighting the tension between the sacred and the profane.

"The bridge is an inward horizon. / The bridge has arrived / in time for us to cross" returns to the metaphor of the bridge, suggesting an inner journey or transition. The bridge as an "inward horizon" implies a crossing into new understanding or acceptance, a passage facilitated by time.

The final lines, "I know because someone, or his assistant, / suffered here," underscore the authenticity of the poet's reflections, rooted in real experiences of pain and endurance. The mention of an "assistant" subtly nods to the collaborative nature of life and suffering, suggesting that pain and healing are shared human experiences.

In summary, "Untitled, 1968; For Mark Rothko" by James Galvin is a profound exploration of suffering, transformation, and the intersection of the sacred and the mundane. Through evocative imagery and reflective narrative, Galvin pays homage to Rothko's art and legacy, inviting readers to contemplate the deeper currents of existence and the quiet strength required to navigate them.

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