Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Things No One Knows" by Wanda Coleman is a poignant and vividly detailed poem that navigates through the landscape of personal struggle, societal neglect, and the existential search for meaning and connection amidst adversity. Coleman employs stark imagery, dark humor, and a deeply personal narrative voice to explore themes of economic hardship, social isolation, and the yearning for recognition and legacy. Through the lens of a speaker who confronts a series of life's hardships, the poem reveals the often invisible struggles that shape human lives, particularly those marginalized by society.

The opening lines introduce the speaker's immediate condition, "overcome by the stink of mildewed wash," setting a tone of decay and neglect that permeates the poem. The admission of being "three months behind in my rent for thirty years" not only underscores a long-term battle with economic instability but also highlights a sense of stagnation and the cyclical nature of poverty. The speaker's feeling of alienation from their countrymen and the metaphorical "lines" that age them further emphasizes the deep sense of disconnection and invisibility experienced by those who are old, impoverished, or both in urban environments.

Coleman's mention of the speaker's personal hygiene, or lack thereof, alongside their inability to maintain basic social interactions ("writing friends is a luxury, enemies a necessity") exposes the harsh realities of living in extreme poverty. The speaker's narrative of loss—ranging from material possessions like a car to intangible aspects like mentorship and literacy—paints a comprehensive picture of a life defined by deprivation and exclusion.

The poem then transitions into an exploration of the speaker's broader existential and social dilemmas. The reference to "militant brain cancer" in the speaker's wallet and their "frigid" lust for their country metaphorically speaks to the debilitating effects of financial despair and a profound disillusionment with one's homeland. The assertion that "there is no degree for what is learned in the dark" captures the invaluable, albeit painful, lessons gleaned from suffering and marginalization, challenging conventional notions of knowledge and success.

Coleman further explores the speaker's sense of persecution and conspiracy, mentioning a "boogie man in New York City" and a "boogiewoman in Oberlin," which serves to externalize the speaker's internal battles with societal judgment and the paranoia that can accompany isolation. These imagined adversaries underscore the speaker's struggle with recognition and acceptance, both personally and professionally.

The poem concludes on a note that oscillates between resignation and a faint glimmer of hope. The speaker's expectations of death, failure, and the ultimate dispersal of their ashes "like pollen" suggest a surrender to the inevitability of oblivion. Yet, the final image of ashes taking wing "like buddhaflies" introduces a subtle transformation, implying a desire for transcendence and the possibility of rebirth or legacy beyond the confines of a troubled life.

Through "Things No One Knows," Coleman crafts a complex portrait of the human condition, marked by resilience in the face of despair, the search for dignity amid degradation, and the universal quest for meaning and legacy. The poem stands as a testament to the unseen struggles that define many lives and the indomitable spirit that persists in the darkest of circumstances.

POEM TEXT: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/155710/things-no-one-knows

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