Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"The Inhabitants" by Barbara Guest explores the urban landscape, examining the intersections of memory, observation, and existence within a city's rhythm. Through vivid imagery and a reflective tone, Guest captures the essence of life in the city, transforming ordinary moments into a tableau of poetic significance.

The poem begins with a depiction of "Early night and the evening bus / Passing with a new wreath around / Its straggled head." This opening scene sets a somber yet intriguing tone, as the bus, a mundane element of city life, is anthropomorphized with a "wreath around / Its straggled head," suggesting both a sense of ceremony and weariness. The bus symbolizes the passage of time and the daily routines that mark the inhabitants' lives.

Guest's imagery of the "push cart" and "fifty pineapple eyes" introduces an element of surrealism, where inanimate objects seem to possess a life of their own. This personification creates a vivid, almost operatic scene: "We move / Like people in an opera on this street, / Arranged and decked, our arms / Progress against the dark." The inhabitants become performers in the grand theater of the city, their movements choreographed against the backdrop of night. The juxtaposition of everyday actions with the grandeur of opera highlights the dramatic undercurrent of urban existence.

As the poem transitions to the subway, Guest delves deeper into the psychological landscape of the city dwellers: "Seated within / The nocturnal car, we expand; grow / Gracious in this self-conscious night." The subway, a subterranean space, becomes a place of introspection and transformation. The inhabitants "observe / The stations as flora," likening the urban environment to a botanical garden, rich with diverse and curious life forms. This metaphor underscores the complexity and beauty hidden within the city's infrastructure.

Guest's exploration of memory is particularly poignant as she recalls "past cities. Cities / More beautiful in a poem." These cities, whether "fallen and wept for" or "the silent ones," are imbued with a sense of loss and longing. The "warrior cities" and "tormented ones" symbolize the struggles and resilience embedded in urban history. Yet, amidst this reflection, Guest elevates the current city, describing it as "the only city whose lover / Is the bridge." This imagery of the city in a loving relationship with its bridge emphasizes connection, continuity, and the bridging of distances—both physical and emotional.

The poem's middle section shifts focus to the everyday activities of the city's inhabitants: "The grey cat enters the broken gate. / The ball hits the wall, and children / Run, side by side, down the walk." These scenes of domesticity and childhood play introduce a sense of innocence and normalcy. However, Guest intertwines this with a deeper resonance: "Boulevarded / By space, every sound is of a thousand / Voices crying." This line reflects the multiplicity of experiences and the cacophony of urban life, where each voice vies for recognition and truth.

In the closing lines, Guest introduces a sense of apprehension: "Someone is following us. Experienced / In apprehension we look back." The "familiar fear" embodied in the "long coat with the tearful / Lapel" and the "perpetual ghost under / The lamplight" signifies the constant presence of anxiety and uncertainty in the city. Despite this, there is a moment of connection and recognition: "We call out. / His answer could be affirmation, / Or even sorrow changed into a leaf." This suggests a transformation of fear into something natural and manageable, allowing the inhabitants to "enter our house," a symbol of safety and belonging.

"The Inhabitants" by Barbara Guest encapsulates the multifaceted nature of city life, blending the mundane with the extraordinary, the past with the present, and fear with familiarity. Through her lyrical and reflective approach, Guest invites readers to explore the layers of meaning within the urban experience, ultimately revealing the complex beauty and resilience of the city's inhabitants.

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