Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Kenneth Patchen’s "Eve of St. Agony or The Middleclass Was Sitting on Its Fat" is a searing, chaotic critique of societal hypocrisy, materialism, and the grotesque underbelly of middle-class complacency. With its aggressive tone, jarring imagery, and stream-of-consciousness structure, the poem captures a world teetering on the brink of self-destruction, where the veneer of civility is stripped away to reveal the primal, violent impulses lurking beneath. Patchen’s biting satire and dark humor underscore the absurdities and contradictions of a society that prioritizes consumption and self-interest over genuine human connection or morality.

The poem opens with visceral, dehumanizing imagery: "Man-dirt and stomachs that the sea unloads; rockets / of quick lice crawling inland, planting their damn flags." Here, humans are reduced to “man-dirt” and “lice,” parasites that infest the earth, leaving destruction in their wake. The sea, often a symbol of cleansing or renewal, instead becomes a vehicle for disgorging this filth onto the land. The “rockets of quick lice” suggest both the rapid spread of human corruption and a critique of militaristic expansionism, with the “planting of flags” symbolizing imperialistic conquest. Patchen’s use of violent, almost apocalyptic language sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which offers a relentless barrage of social commentary.

The next lines deepen this portrayal of human depravity: "putting their malethings in any hole that will stand still, / yapping bloody murder while they slice off each other’s heads." This crude, sexually charged imagery highlights the aggressive, predatory nature of human behavior. The juxtaposition of sexual violence with literal violence (“slicing off each other’s heads”) underscores the destructive impulses driving society. Patchen’s choice of language is deliberately abrasive, forcing the reader to confront the raw, unfiltered realities he perceives beneath the surface of social norms.

Patchen skewers various societal roles with equal venom: "spewing themselves around, priesting, whoring, lording / it over little guys, messing their pants, writing gush-notes / to their grandmas, wanting somebody to do something pronto." By lumping together priests, whores, and lords, Patchen suggests that no position—whether religious, sexual, or political—is free from corruption. The image of people “messing their pants” while simultaneously “writing gush-notes to their grandmas” highlights the absurdity and hypocrisy of trying to maintain appearances of respectability while engaging in morally bankrupt behavior. The desire for immediate gratification (“wanting the good thing right now and the bad stuff for the other boy”) reflects a society driven by selfishness and short-term thinking.

The poem shifts into a sarcastic, mocking tone with lines like: "Gullet, praise God for the gut with the patented zipper; / sing loud for the lads who sell ice boxes on the burning deck." This absurd juxtaposition of consumerism and catastrophe lampoons the middle-class obsession with material goods even in the face of impending doom. The “patented zipper” and “ice boxes” become symbols of trivial conveniences that distract from larger existential threats. Patchen’s use of dark humor and irony here is a hallmark of his style, using the ridiculous to expose deeper truths.

Addressing the reader directly, Patchen continues his sardonic critique: "Dear reader, gentle reader, dainty little reader, this is / the way we go round the milktrucks and seamusic, Sike’s trap and Meg’s rib." The repetitive, affectionate terms for the reader are immediately undercut by the nonsensical imagery that follows, suggesting that the reader, too, is complicit in this absurdity. The disjointed references—“milktrucks,” “seamusic,” “Sike’s trap,” and “Meg’s rib”—create a surreal, almost nightmarish landscape that mirrors the chaos of modern life.

Patchen’s critique of societal norms continues with grotesque humor: "I used to collect old ladies, / pickling them in brine and painting mustaches on their bellies, / later I went in for stripteasing before Save Democracy Clubs." These absurd confessions mock both the fetishization of the elderly and the superficial patriotism of organizations like “Save Democracy Clubs.” The image of “stripteasing” before such clubs highlights the performative nature of political engagement, where spectacle often takes precedence over substance.

The poem doesn’t shy away from more overtly political commentary: "I like butter on both sides of my bread / and my sister can rape a Hun any time she’s a mind to, / or the Yellow Peril for that matter." Here, Patchen critiques not only gluttonous self-indulgence but also the casual racism and dehumanization embedded in societal attitudes. The references to “Hun” (a derogatory term for Germans) and “Yellow Peril” (a racist term for East Asians) expose the xenophobia and cultural chauvinism that pervade the speaker’s world. The flippant tone with which these violent fantasies are delivered underscores the normalization of such prejudices.

Patchen’s commentary extends to the trivialization of the past: "The old days were different; the ball scores meant something then." This line satirizes nostalgic longing for a past that, in reality, was just as fraught with meaningless distractions and superficial values. The subsequent lines—“two pill in the side pocket and two bits says so; he got up slow see, / shook the water out of his hair, wam, tell me that ain’t a sweet left hand”—evoke the rhythms of casual conversation, further emphasizing the disconnect between personal anecdotes and larger societal crises.

The poem’s frenetic, disjointed structure mirrors the chaotic energy of the world it describes. Patchen moves rapidly from one idea to the next, creating a collage of grotesque, absurd, and often violent imagery. This lack of coherence reflects the underlying instability of the society he critiques, where meaning is elusive and contradictions abound.

The poem culminates in a direct, almost prophetic warning: "Ghosts in packs like dogs grinning at ghosts / Pocketless thieves in a city that never sleeps / Chains clank, warders curse, this world is stark mad." These lines evoke a dystopian vision of a world haunted by its own sins, where even the thieves have nothing left to steal. The imagery of “chains clank” and “warders curse” suggests imprisonment and oppression, while the declaration that “this world is stark mad” leaves no room for ambiguity about Patchen’s perspective on the state of humanity.

The final line—“Hey! Fatty, don’t look now but that’s a Revolution breathing down your neck.”—is both a warning and a call to action. The casual, almost taunting tone of “Hey! Fatty” underscores the complacency of the middle class, oblivious to the growing unrest beneath the surface. The “Revolution” is personified as a tangible, imminent force, suggesting that the upheaval Patchen describes is not just theoretical but inevitable.

In "Eve of St. Agony or The Middleclass Was Sitting on Its Fat," Kenneth Patchen delivers a scathing, chaotic indictment of societal hypocrisy, materialism, and moral decay. Through a blend of grotesque humor, surreal imagery, and rapid-fire shifts in tone and subject matter, the poem captures the absurdity and violence underlying modern life. Patchen’s work challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths about their own complicity in the systems and attitudes he critiques, leaving them with a lingering sense of unease and a recognition of the fragility of the world they inhabit.

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