Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Linda Pastan's poem "Barbecue" draws a connection between the contemporary, communal act of grilling and the ancient rituals of hunting and survival. The poem explores themes of memory, tradition, and the primal instincts that continue to influence modern life, even in seemingly ordinary activities like a barbecue.

The poem begins by setting the scene: "In the late light / of Indian summer." This phrase captures a specific time of year when the warmth of summer lingers but is tinged with the onset of fall. The term "Indian summer" evokes a sense of nostalgia and a fleeting moment of warmth before the cold sets in, setting a reflective tone for the poem.

The speaker describes the group standing "with our burnt / offerings," a phrase that immediately ties the act of grilling to ancient religious rituals where offerings were made to the gods, often through fire. This imagery suggests that the barbecue is more than just a casual gathering—it is a continuation of an age-old tradition, a modern-day ritual that connects the participants to their ancestors. The "burnt offerings" represent the food being cooked, but also hint at a deeper, almost sacrificial element, as if the participants are honoring something larger than themselves through this act.

As the group watches "the sky / become charred with evening," the transition from day to night mirrors the process of cooking meat over a fire. The sky, "charred" by the approaching darkness, reflects the burning and charring of the meat. This imagery reinforces the idea that the participants are engaged in a primal act, one that is tied to the natural cycles of day and night, light and dark, life and death.

The line "lost in the smell / of the meat" suggests a moment of immersion and sensory experience, where the participants are enveloped by the aroma of cooking food. This sensory detail grounds the poem in the physical world, highlighting the tangible connection between the act of grilling and the body's response to it.

The final lines of the poem, "as we remember / each in his own flesh / the old weather / of the hunt," draw a direct connection between the present moment and the ancient past. The phrase "each in his own flesh" emphasizes the personal, embodied nature of memory—how the physical act of eating and cooking meat can evoke deep, almost instinctual recollections of humanity's collective past. The "old weather / of the hunt" refers to the times when survival depended on the ability to hunt and provide food, a time when humans were more closely tied to the rhythms of nature and the cycle of life and death.

In "Barbecue," Linda Pastan skillfully weaves together the contemporary with the ancient, using the simple act of grilling as a lens through which to explore themes of memory, ritual, and the enduring connection between the past and the present. The poem suggests that even in modern life, our actions are influenced by deep-seated instincts and traditions that have been passed down through generations. Through rich imagery and sensory details, Pastan captures the complexity and significance of what might otherwise be seen as an ordinary activity, revealing its deeper connections to the human experience.

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