Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Golden State" by Frank Bidart is a profound and deeply moving exploration of the poet's complex relationship with his father, "Shank," set against the backdrop of the 20th-century American West. Through a series of vignettes that span memories, reflections, and direct addresses to his father, Bidart crafts a narrative that is both deeply personal and universally resonant, touching on themes of identity, legacy, and the search for understanding and reconciliation.

The poem's structure, divided into ten sections, allows Bidart to traverse different moments and aspects of his relationship with his father, providing a multifaceted view of Shank's life and their dynamic. This structure reflects the fragmented nature of memory and the multifarious ways in which we come to know and understand our loved ones and ourselves. Each section serves as a piece of the larger puzzle of Shank's identity and the impact he had on those around him, particularly the poet.

Bidart's use of form in "Golden State" varies across the sections, employing both free verse and more structured stanzas to convey the fluctuating emotional landscape of the poem. This variance in form mirrors the complexities and contradictions inherent in Shank's character and his relationship with the poet. The shifts in form also reflect the shifts in Bidart's own understanding and feelings toward his father, from resentment and disappointment to a more nuanced recognition of his humanity and flaws.

The poem oscillates between intimate domestic scenes, reflections on Shank's desires and failures, and broader philosophical musings on the nature of moral being and freedom. Bidart's language is precise and evocative, capturing the essence of the California landscape, the ethos of the 20th century, and the internal landscapes of both father and son. The imagery of Shank lying in pink velvet and the detailed description of the letter from Paris are particularly striking, anchoring the poem in specific, vividly rendered moments that illuminate the broader themes at play.

"Golden State" grapples with the concept of legacy—what Shank leaves behind for his son and how the poet contends with this inheritance. The reflections on Shank's unrealized dreams and the poet's attempts to understand and, perhaps, forgive his father, speak to the universal human experiences of grappling with our parents' legacies and coming to terms with our own identities in the shadow of those who came before us.

Ultimately, "Golden State" is a meditation on the complexities of familial bonds, the search for self-understanding, and the ways in which our relationships with our parents shape us. Bidart's poem is a testament to the power of poetry to explore and express the depths of human emotion and the intricacies of personal history. Through his candid and compassionate portrayal of his father, Bidart invites readers to reflect on their own relationships and the myriad ways in which love, disappointment, and the pursuit of freedom intertwine in the tapestry of family life.

POEM TEXT: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/09/11/frank-bidarts-poetry-of-saying-the-unsaid

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