Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Anne Sexton’s poem "What’s That" is a contemplative and evocative exploration of memory, perception, and the mysterious nature of the past as it intrudes upon the present. Through her use of vivid imagery and a subtle, almost surreal narrative, Sexton delves into the idea of an elusive presence—something both familiar and strange—that has returned to the speaker’s life. The poem reflects on the ways in which the past, with its half-remembered sounds and sensations, can resurface unexpectedly, challenging our understanding of reality and identity.

The poem begins with the speaker observing "it" from a distance, watching "it swell like a new balloon," and "slump and then divide." The ambiguity of "it" immediately draws the reader into a sense of mystery and curiosity. The description of "it" changing forms—like "a broken pear or two halves of the moon"—suggests that this presence is something mutable, something that defies fixed definition. These comparisons to natural and everyday objects ground the poem in the physical world while simultaneously imbuing "it" with an otherworldly quality.

The imagery of "round white plates floating nowhere" and "fat hands waving in the summer air" further enhances the sense of surrealism and detachment from reality. These images evoke the feeling of something familiar yet distorted, as if the speaker is trying to grasp a memory or an experience that is just out of reach. The transformation of these shapes into a "fist or a knee" suggests that this presence, while initially soft and formless, eventually takes on a more defined and potentially confrontational form.

When "it" finally comes to the speaker’s door and "lives here," the transition from the external world into the intimate space of the home signifies the inevitable intrusion of this presence into the speaker’s life. The description of "it" as a "soft sound, soft as a seal's ear" adds a layer of gentleness and vulnerability to this presence, yet the fact that it was "caught between a shape and a shape and then returned to me" implies a sense of inevitability, as if this presence was always destined to re-enter the speaker’s life.

The poem then shifts to reflect on childhood memories, drawing parallels between the past and the present. The speaker recalls how "parents call / from sweet beaches anywhere, come in come in," and how as a child, one might "sink under water to put out / the sound." This imagery of submerging oneself to escape the call of a parent suggests a desire to avoid or delay responsibility or the inevitable pull of reality. Similarly, the memory of being touched "in the hall at night" evokes a sense of unease and the intrusion of something unknown or not fully understood, yet deeply felt.

The poem continues to weave together these fragments of memory, describing them as "the rustle and the skin / you couldn't know, but heard," along with "the stout / slap of tides and the dog snoring." These sounds and sensations, once forgotten, have now resurfaced in the speaker’s "adult year," bringing with them the weight of time and experience. The "image we did forget" is now vivid and present, as real as "splinters stuck in your ear"—a small, painful reminder of something once overlooked or ignored.

The phrase "The noise we steal / is half a bell" suggests that the speaker’s recollection of these past experiences is incomplete, fragmented, yet still resonant. The "cars whisk[ing] by on the suburban street" are "there and are true," grounding the poem in the present moment, even as the speaker is pulled back into the past. The ordinary, everyday sounds of the suburban environment serve as a backdrop to the more ephemeral, elusive memories that the speaker is grappling with.

In the final lines, the speaker confronts the question, "What else is this, this intricate shape of air?" This question captures the essence of the poem—a meditation on the intangible, yet deeply impactful, nature of memory and the past. The "intricate shape of air" represents the complexity of these memories and experiences, which, though formless and intangible, have a profound effect on the speaker’s consciousness. The presence, now fully recognized, is "calling me, calling you," suggesting that this experience of memory and the past is a universal one, something that all people encounter as they navigate the layers of their own lives.

In "What’s That," Anne Sexton masterfully captures the elusive and haunting nature of memory, illustrating how the past can return to shape and influence the present. The poem’s blend of surreal imagery and reflective narrative creates a sense of both wonder and unease, as the speaker comes to terms with the presence that has re-entered their life. Through this exploration, Sexton invites the reader to consider the ways in which the past continues to live within us, calling out to be acknowledged, understood, and integrated into the present.

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