Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

John Ashbery's "Atonal Music" is a poem that delves into the themes of memory, perception, and the elusive nature of meaning. Typical of Ashbery’s style, the poem blends surreal imagery with a sense of introspection, creating a narrative that is both enigmatic and evocative.

The poem opens with the unusual image of "The hamlet stroked its reflection in a plum." This metaphorical expression sets a tone of surrealism and reflection. The hamlet, personified, engaging with its reflection in something as transient as a plum, suggests a contemplation of self or identity that is both delicate and fleeting.

The next lines, "They are lowering hoops from houses, the whole thing's very much up in the air," add to the sense of uncertainty and unpredictability. The imagery of hoops being lowered from houses creates a visual of something in motion, something unsettled, which mirrors the poem's exploration of shifting perspectives and meanings.

Ashbery's reference to twiddling thumbs in a doorway and looking out "from time to time" captures a feeling of passivity and detachment. The speaker's observation that "It's fine to reminisce, but no one really cares about your childhood, not even you" is a poignant commentary on the nature of memory and the human tendency to disconnect from the past.

The poem then shifts to a more abstract contemplation of the past as "an aesthetic remoteness blossoming profusely but vaguely around what does / stand out here and there." This passage suggests that memories and the past take on a kind of aesthetic quality, becoming part of a backdrop to the present, noticeable but not fully engaging.

The mention of "a window square, a bone left by an intrepid dog" as things that "stand out" in this landscape of memory and scenery emphasizes the randomness and specificity of what is remembered or noticed. The notion that these things are owned but not appreciated because they are "too mortal" speaks to a sense of alienation from the tangible, everyday aspects of life.

The speaker's waking in the night to a "runnel coursing down my mansard" and the realization of having left a trapdoor open further develops the theme of being affected by, yet detached from, one's surroundings. The feeling of being "smeared" by the scenery, of being only "ambient," reflects a sense of disconnection or inability to fully engage with the external world.

The closing line, "They observed me once, you know," adds a layer of self-consciousness or awareness of being watched or judged. This could be interpreted as a reflection on the role of the individual within society, or on the nature of observation and interpretation in human interaction.

In "Atonal Music," Ashbery creates a complex tapestry of images and ideas that invite the reader to ponder the nature of memory, perception, and the search for meaning in a world that is often ambiguous and elusive. The poem's title itself suggests a lack of conventional harmony or structure, mirroring the content's exploration of the non-linear and often atonal nature of human experience.

POEM TEXT:

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Can_You_Hear_Bird/RCl5BAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1

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