Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Frottage" by Dean Young presents a reflective and multifaceted exploration of life's absurdities, fragilities, and the inevitable transformations that define the human experience. Through the lens of various perspectives — lovers, clouds, ants, the sufferer — Young navigates the complexities of desire, loss, and the search for meaning in a world that is both beautiful and bewildering.

The poem begins with an observation of life's "goofy and horrible" nature, inviting the reader to look into the faces of lovers and witness their "drastic destinations." This opening sets a tone of ironic contemplation, juxtaposing the earnestness of love with the exhaustion and absurdity of striving. The image of horses "lathered and fagged" underscores the exertion and exhaustion involved in pursuing one's desires or destinies.

Young then shifts focus to a couple handling a valuable vase in a store, reflecting on the nature of the "rational" and our tendency to break it — both literally and metaphorically. This act of handling something precious and potentially destructive serves as a metaphor for the human condition, highlighting our vulnerability to loss and our compulsion to challenge the boundaries of reason and safety.

The poem's exploration of perspective deepens with the introduction of clouds as a metaphor for the human soul — inevitable and dispersed, constantly changing form yet remaining fundamentally the same. This imagery captures the essence of transformation and the fluidity of desire, as what was once wanted is no longer desired once change has occurred.

The concept of frottage — the technique of taking a rubbing from an uneven surface to form the basis of a work of art — is evoked through the act of rubbing charcoal on paper, revealing unexpected images. This process symbolizes the search for self-understanding and the belief in the revelatory power of the mundane or accidental. Yet, the speaker acknowledges the limits of such attempts at divination, noting that we once believed these methods "told us something of ourselves" but now recognize their insufficiency.

As the poem progresses, Young delves into the perspective of the ant and the sufferer, reflecting on the relative insignificance of human concerns and the pervasive sensation of vulnerability. The notion that "everything will be taken from us" and then returned "when it’s no longer what we want" speaks to the cyclical nature of desire and the inevitability of change.

The closing lines of the poem intertwine images of beauty and terror, nature and the supernatural, to underscore the dualities that permeate existence. The wolf with a mouth "full of strawberries" and the "morning’s a phantom hum of glories" juxtapose the wild and the sublime, encapsulating the poem's meditation on the paradoxical nature of life.

"Frottage" by Dean Young is a complex, richly layered work that challenges the reader to embrace the uncertainties and contradictions of existence, acknowledging the pain and beauty inherent in the ceaseless process of becoming and unbecoming. Through its vivid imagery and philosophical depth, the poem invites reflection on the ways in which we seek, and often fail, to find coherence and meaning in the chaos of the world around us.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...