Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Robert Pinsky’s "Voyage to the Moon" is a richly layered narrative poem that blends fantasy, mythology, and a profound meditation on art, memory, and the human condition. The poem takes the reader on a journey that is both literal and metaphorical, as it explores themes of creation, destruction, and the cyclical nature of history and existence.

The poem opens with a scene that immediately sets a fantastical tone: "Raquel the Queen of Diamonds and La Hire / The One-Eyed Jack of Hearts have crossed a bridge." These characters, drawn from a deck of playing cards, are personified and given agency, crossing from the "Old Town to the New" in a setting that is both ancient and timeless. The description of the town, with its "weathered stone" and houses that "lean / Drowsily under their crowns of thatch," evokes a sense of old-world charm and decay, a place where history and imagination intersect.

Raquel and La Hire, seemingly characters from a child’s game or fantasy, sit "on the terrace of an inn" overlooking a pastoral scene. The landscape—complete with "lawn, ducks, the towpath," and "Turrets and pennants, and puffs of cloud"—is idyllic, almost dreamlike. Yet, there is an underlying sense of anticipation, as "the pack / Of cards in their expectant, somewhat embarrassed / Silence are waiting for what will happen next." This expectation hints at the deeper, more serious undertones that the poem will explore.

The narrative then shifts to the story of a woman who worked in sweatshops or did piecework at home to support herself and her daughter. This backstory introduces a more grounded, real-world element into the poem, contrasting with the earlier fantasy. The daughter, left alone, invents games of cards and stories, blending elements of "Casino and the Death of Arthur, / Or on Disney, the brothers Grimm and the game of War." This act of creation, born from solitude and imagination, mirrors the creative process itself, where disparate elements are combined to form something new and meaningful.

As the daughter grows up to become a sculptor, she transforms her childhood games and stories into works of art. Pinsky describes one particular piece, "a series of works with heavy limbs / Of smooth black metal, muscled and stenciled gold," which echoes the arm of her mother’s sewing machine. This connection between the mother's labor and the daughter’s art highlights the continuity of creativity and the way personal history and memory shape artistic expression.

The poem then returns to Raquel and La Hire, who have "clambered into the wicker gondola" of a hot air balloon, embarking on a literal "voyage to the moon." The balloon, painted in vibrant colors, symbolizes the heights of imagination and the desire to transcend earthly limitations. However, the poem suggests that this ascent is not entirely freeing: "the cards were flat, their passion to be lifted / Became too light for her." The sculptor, now the narrative’s focus, longs for the "earth / Made sweeter by the feel of the weight that presses / Against it when it comes back down." This longing for the tangible, for the real, contrasts with the fantasy of flight and the escape it offers.

Pinsky then weaves in references to Arthurian legend, particularly the Dolorous Wound inflicted on King Arthur by Mordred. This moment, rich with symbolism, reflects the themes of betrayal, loss, and the cyclical nature of history. The "four Queens on the barge" who take Arthur away are reminiscent of the sculptor's own creative process, where the past is both a burden and an inspiration.

The poem touches on the idea of "pillagers and witnesses," those who come after to loot the remnants of past catastrophes. This image serves as a metaphor for how history and culture are constantly being reshaped and reinterpreted, with each generation taking what it can from the previous one. The "heavy balloon / Of passion escaping from the earth, and thudding / Back to transform it" echoes the earlier image of the sculptor’s desire for groundedness, suggesting that true transformation comes not from escape but from engagement with the material world.

In the closing lines, the poem returns to the fantastical voyage of Raquel and La Hire, who land on the moon with their little dog. The mention of "Arniboule the King of Spades, the mighty / Maker and Breaker" introduces a final, ominous note, as the poem hints at the fragility of creation and the potential for destruction inherent in all things.

"Voyage to the Moon" is a poem that moves fluidly between fantasy and reality, blending mythological and personal narratives to explore the complexities of human creativity and the enduring power of memory. Through its rich imagery and intricate structure, Pinsky offers a meditation on the tension between the desire to escape and the need to remain grounded, the interplay between the imagined and the real, and the ways in which history, art, and individual experience are inextricably intertwined.

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