Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Allen Ginsberg's poem "What You Up To?" presents a vivid and unflinching examination of physical decay, vulnerability, and the complexities of human experience. The poem begins with a seemingly mundane and humorous encounter in the hallway of Naropa University, where Ginsberg, caught in an embarrassing moment of picking his nose, engages with a Sanskrit professor. This interaction, however, quickly unfolds into a deeper and more poignant reflection on Ginsberg's personal suffering and the physical ailments that have plagued him over the years.

Ginsberg's response to the professor, "Oh just hanging around / picking my nose," is a self-deprecating remark that reveals his discomfort and embarrassment. This simple act becomes a gateway to exploring his condition—Bell's palsy—which has left him with a partially paralyzed face and dry, cracked nasal passages. The vivid imagery of "a large red blob" on his finger tip and "a spot of red" on his handkerchief captures the raw, physical reality of his ailment and the persistent shame it brings.

As the poem progresses, Ginsberg's contemplation deepens. He envisions a future where he walks with a bent spine and cane, his nose "caked with blood black & ulcerous," tears streaming down his cheeks. This future projection is laden with a sense of inevitability and resignation. The image of a "bony pinkie picking at the scarlet scab" is both grotesque and tender, emphasizing the intimate and relentless nature of his suffering.

Ginsberg's reflection is not confined to his physical ailments; it extends to a broader meditation on the accumulation of suffering over a lifetime. He references his experience since 1976 when an overdose of antibiotics led to the inflammation of his seventh cranial nerve, resulting in his current condition. The "Himalaya of suffering gelatinous slop" metaphorically encapsulates the weight and volume of his accumulated pain and hardship.

The poem takes a striking turn towards the end, as Ginsberg recounts a graphic and explicit sexual encounter from 1946. This memory, of a white boy in a two-piece suit at the Hotel Astor bar on Times Square, juxtaposes the physical and emotional vulnerability of his current state with a moment of raw, unfiltered human experience. The boy's insistence on continuing the act despite the presence of excrement—"No I don’t want to stop I like it dirty like this"—serves as a stark reminder of the complexities and sometimes disturbing realities of human desire and interaction.

This explicit recollection serves multiple purposes in the poem. It highlights Ginsberg's willingness to confront and articulate the full spectrum of his experiences, no matter how uncomfortable or socially taboo. It also underscores the theme of bodily functions and decay, linking the physical act of sex to the broader narrative of bodily decline and vulnerability. Moreover, it adds a layer of emotional depth and historical context, reminding readers of the poet's long journey and the varied, sometimes harrowing experiences that have shaped his life.

In "What You Up To?" Ginsberg masterfully blends humor, vulnerability, and stark realism to create a powerful meditation on physical decay, personal history, and the raw, unvarnished truths of human existence. The poem's strength lies in its unflinching honesty and the poet's ability to transform personal suffering into a universal reflection on the human condition. Through vivid imagery, candid self-reflection, and the inclusion of intimate memories, Ginsberg invites readers to confront their own vulnerabilities and the inevitable decline that comes with aging and time.

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