Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Alice Fulton's "Trouble in Mind" delves into the complexities of memory and the emotional turmoil that often accompanies recollection. Through vivid and sometimes disturbing imagery, the poem explores the idea that memory, contrary to being a friend, can be a source of persistent pain and unresolved guilt.

The opening lines set a dark and somber tone, evoking images of violence and concealment: "A murdered body's shallow grave. / A ditch that shelters sniper fire." These lines immediately suggest that memories can be akin to hidden dangers, lying in wait to ambush the unsuspecting mind. The question "Who says memory's a friend?" challenges the common perception that remembering is inherently beneficial.

The poet reflects on the desire for a "select amnesia," a state where one could sleep untroubled by past events. The idea of sleep being "furred by a select amnesia" suggests a comforting, protective layer that shields the mind from harmful recollections. This protective forgetting is contrasted with the painful reality of memory, which the speaker once believed could be organized and understood through systematic recall: "Because I thought recalling all turned all to sense, / I filed my life in pieces."

However, the effort to turn "all that debris" of the past into meaningful narratives is fraught with difficulty. The comparison to soldiers disassembling their weapons to check for perfection highlights the meticulous and often futile effort to find clarity and resolution in the past. The metaphor of "Blame's the bullet you catch between your teeth or worse, inside" poignantly illustrates the inescapable nature of guilt and the harm it can cause, whether expressed or internalized.

The poem then contemplates the appeal of substances that could erase the past: "And if some angel dust or peace pill, / busy bee or killer weed / could turn the past to has-been, a poison shot / let bygones be, who wouldn't / try it?" These lines suggest a longing for an escape from the relentless grip of memory, even at the cost of using potentially harmful means. The reference to "Agent Orange," a defoliant used in the Vietnam War known for its devastating effects, further underscores the desperation for forgetting. This substance, which "says the world's no matter, gutting every ghost within its range," symbolizes an extreme form of erasure, wiping out both the good and the bad indiscriminately.

The poem concludes with the stark image of "A jungle of nothing. A forgetting." This final line encapsulates the ultimate desire for complete oblivion, a blank slate devoid of the burdens of the past. However, this forgetting is depicted as a barren, empty landscape, suggesting that such erasure comes at a significant cost.

In "Trouble in Mind," Alice Fulton poignantly captures the struggle with memory and the desire for release from its often-painful grip. The poem’s vivid imagery and contemplative tone invite readers to reflect on their own relationship with the past, the nature of guilt, and the complex interplay between remembering and forgetting. Through her exploration, Fulton reveals the deep emotional impact of memory and the lengths to which one might go to find peace.

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