Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In Robert Hass's poem "Vintage," the narrative is set against the backdrop of a seemingly ordinary afternoon in New York City, where two characters navigate their thoughts and conversations amidst the urban landscape. The poem intricately blends their musings on personal relationships, artistic expression, and existential considerations, all while maintaining a reflective tone that invites deeper contemplation on the nature of human experience.

The poem begins with the characters entering a delicatessen on Sixth Avenue, immediately setting a scene that is both mundane and specific. Their conversation about their friends' affairs being "focused and saddened by massive projection" hints at the influence of past experiences, particularly from their childhoods, which were shaped by the grandeur of movie screens. This nostalgia is tinged with a critique, as someone had proposed that "need was unlovable," suggesting a disillusionment with the expectations and desires formed in those early years.

As they eat chicken salad with a "creamy basil mayonnaise a shade lighter than the Coast Range in August," Hass juxtaposes the vibrant imagery of summer with the gray, sleety February day outside. This contrast highlights the dissonance between memory and reality, and between idealized desires and the present moment. Their walk and talk take them past a house where Djuna Barnes, a significant literary figure, is "still, reportedly, making sentences," adding a layer of literary history and the persistence of artistic creation amidst the changing cityscape.

The reference to Basho's advice to "avoid adjectives of scale" serves as a thematic anchor in the poem, encouraging a more nuanced and less possessive appreciation of the world. This idea is reflected in the imagery of their childhoods, specifically the immense movie screens that once captivated them, now serving as a metaphor for their projections and desires.

The encounter with the blind man selling pencils introduces a starkly human element, contrasting the earlier abstract discussions. His presence evokes questions about suffering, compassion, and the nature of divine intervention. The man’s "look of blind, questing pathos" embodies both vulnerability and a profound, almost biblical suffering, prompting the narrator to ponder what true healing might entail. This scene underscores the poem’s exploration of the human condition, suggesting that peace and healing might transcend physical restoration.

Hass uses cinematic techniques to frame the scene, with the desire for a "quick cut, or a reaction shot" reflecting a need to escape or to find resolution in the narrative. The imagery of "taxis rivered up Sixth Avenue" and "a little sunlight touched the steeple of the First Magyar Reform Church" provides fleeting moments of beauty and continuity amidst the city’s chaos.

The poem concludes with an interaction in a liquor store, where the clerk's insistence that a particular cabernet "can't be drunk for another five years" serves as a metaphor for patience and timing. This final image ties back to the earlier discussions on need and projection, suggesting that fulfillment and understanding might require time and maturity.

"Vintage" by Robert Hass intricately weaves together reflections on personal and collective histories, the persistence of artistic creation, and the complexities of human suffering and desire. Through vivid imagery and thoughtful dialogue, the poem invites readers to consider how past experiences shape present perceptions and the delicate balance between longing and acceptance in navigating life’s journey.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...