Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"American Sublime" by Clayton Eshleman is a powerful and evocative poem that intertwines themes of musical genius, personal struggle, and the complex layers of human experience. Through the lens of Bud Powell's life, a legendary figure in the history of jazz piano, Eshleman explores the interplay between artistic brilliance and the personal turmoil that often accompanies it.

The poem begins by stating, "Bud Powell's story is never complete." This opening line sets the tone for the exploration of Powell's life as something dynamic and continuously unfolding—reflective of both his improvisational style in music and the unresolved aspects of his personal and public life. It suggests that Powell, like his music, cannot be fully defined or contained within simple narratives.

The imagery of Powell "sipping lunch on all fours" introduces a moment of vulnerability and degradation, possibly alluding to one of Powell's mental breakdowns or the effects of his erratic lifestyle and struggles with mental health and substance abuse. This stark, visceral image contrasts sharply with the conventional view of musical performance, emphasizing the discord between Powell's public genius and private challenges.

Eshleman’s phrase, "rudimentary turning, crawling chorus after chorus," utilizes musical terminology ("chorus") to depict Powell’s life as a repetitive, difficult struggle, akin to moving on all fours. This also metaphorically captures the cyclical nature of his musical creations, where each performance or 'chorus' carries echoes of personal strife and artistic innovation.

"Lifting I Covers, / to view simmering Waterfront splinters, he is visiting fist shacks," these lines evoke a scene of looking beneath the surface or behind the scenes—perhaps at the underbelly of the jazz scene or the hidden aspects of urban life. The "Waterfront splinters" and "fist shacks" suggest a rough, broken environment, reflecting the harsh realities that shaped Powell’s experiences and, by extension, his music.

The transformation of the "sipped milk" into a "dug root" symbolizes a deep, essential nourishment drawn from difficult or raw beginnings, similar to how roots draw nutrients from the soil. This image beautifully encapsulates the way Powell's music—rooted in the blues—drew from the depths of his personal and cultural experience, turning pain and struggle into artistic expression.

Powell's act of "biting into the horizon wearing keyboard braces" is a compelling metaphor for embracing a vast, unbounded future, constrained yet defined by the instrument he mastered. The "keyboard braces" suggest both support and restriction, encapsulating the paradox of Powell's life in which the piano was both his means of expression and a symbol of the burdens he bore.

Eshleman concludes this segment with a poignant reflection on collective and personal memory: "he winds within the steel cord all / who have pulled through mother recall as the bastard spirit beyond her strength." This line speaks to the interconnectedness of human experiences, particularly the shared journey through hardship and resilience (represented by the "steel cord"). The reference to "mother recall" and the "bastard spirit" may allude to the inherited and societal challenges faced by African Americans, weaving Powell's personal struggles into a larger tapestry of memory, identity, and resistance.

"American Sublime" thus serves as both a tribute to Bud Powell’s musical legacy and a profound meditation on the complexities of his life, offering insights into how personal histories, cultural contexts, and artistic expression are inextricably linked. Eshleman crafts a rich, multifaceted portrait that honors Powell's contributions to music while acknowledging the profound challenges he faced, ultimately presenting a nuanced view of artistic genius and human frailty.

POEM TEXT: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Hades_in_Manganese/H0G76xW5n5QC?q=blues&gbpv=1&bsq=AMERICAN%20SUBLIME#f=false

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