Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Ascending Over Ohio," Lawrence Ferlinghetti explores themes of flight, transcendence, and desire through vivid and surreal imagery. The poem blends religious symbolism with earthly sensuality, creating a dreamlike narrative that examines the intersection between imagination and reality.

The poem begins with a striking image: "The angels coming down the aisles / have their wings on backwards." This opening sets a surreal tone, immediately suggesting that these "angels" are not traditional celestial beings but rather "airline ladies" in uniforms with "gossamer illusions" of wings. These wings are not for flying but serve as "ministers of my madness," introducing a mix of whimsy and eroticism. The "airline ladies" are described as "ministering angels," blending the sacred and the profane. The phrase "my belle dame sans merci" (my lady without mercy) alludes to John Keats's poem, where the figure is both enchanting and deadly.

Ferlinghetti continues to blend the celestial with the mundane, describing these airline attendants as coming "down to earth to fetch me / for the final flight to the heavens." This journey into the heavens becomes a flight of fantasy where "transworld spirits of all the greatest gods" fly back and forth. The vision is populated by religious symbols, such as "Buddha floats by holding the Christchild," merging Eastern and Western traditions.

The religious symbolism continues with "a Chinese scroll of sky unrolling before us / as we ascend over Warren Ohio." Here, Ferlinghetti juxtaposes the exotic and mythical ("Chinese scroll of sky") with the familiar ("Warren Ohio"), grounding the mystical journey in a real, geographical location. This contrast emphasizes the blending of imagination with reality and elevates the ordinary into the realm of the extraordinary.

The poem then introduces an act of divine generosity: "where fifty thousand lost bodies look up / as I release a shower of golden parachutes / with fifty thousand re-inflatable balloons / and fifty thousand valid passports." The "golden parachutes" suggest salvation or rescue, while the "re-inflatable balloons" and "valid passports" symbolize renewal and the possibility of escape. The "imaginary universe" represents a world where the barriers to freedom and happiness are removed, and "the most ravenously beautiful bodies & souls / in all eternity" live, love, and sing.

The final lines return to the theme of sensuality and desire, as "one comes down the aisle now / spreading her gossamer wings over me / and offering me the sweet pneumatic ecstasy / of her airborne breasts." Here, Ferlinghetti intertwines the spiritual ("gossamer wings") with the erotic ("airborne breasts"), creating a vision that is both divine and deeply human. The "sweet pneumatic ecstasy" suggests an intoxicating blend of pleasure and spirituality, revealing how desire can transcend the mundane and become a form of flight.

Structurally, the poem flows in free verse, allowing Ferlinghetti to create a narrative that mirrors the journey of the flight. The enjambment and varied line lengths create a sense of movement and unpredictability, while the surreal imagery provides a rich tapestry that blurs the boundaries between reality and fantasy.

Overall, "Ascending Over Ohio" is a meditation on transcendence, desire, and imagination. Ferlinghetti's use of religious symbolism, erotic imagery, and surreal fantasy creates a layered exploration of how flight—both literal and metaphorical—can lead to revelations about human longing and the pursuit of freedom. The poem celebrates the blending of sacred and profane, illustrating how desire and imagination can elevate the ordinary to the extraordinary.

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