Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Charles Olson?s "Who Slays the Spanish Sun" is a sprawling and layered reflection that blends historical, cultural, and personal commentary into an elliptical meditation. The poem?s title suggests an audacious act of disrupting or extinguishing a monumental force—the "Spanish sun," a symbol rich with connotations of warmth, conquest, and cultural dominance. The interplay of historical references, local specificities, and abstract commentary weaves a dense tapestry of meaning that is both critical and exploratory.

The "Spanish sun" evokes the expansive colonial history of Spain, its imperial legacy, and its cultural resonance in regions like California, where the poem situates itself. The reference to "the Russian hill" suggests San Francisco?s Russian Hill, layering the geography of California with its multicultural overlays. Monterey, another Californian locale, is described as "the farthest," alluding to its historical role as a frontier—a terminus of exploration and settlement. Olson acknowledges figures like Larkin, likely referring to Thomas O. Larkin, an influential figure in Californian history, to ground the narrative in specific historical contexts.

The poem transitions from historical reflection to a critique of contemporary San Francisco, invoking localism and radicalism as defining, yet flawed, characteristics of the city. Olson critiques the narrowness of San Francisco’s local culture, reducing grand possibilities to the parochial concerns of "their size except their streetcars." This sharp observation highlights a tension between the city?s cultural ambitions and its perceived insularity.

The personal dimensions of the poem emerge in the enigmatic presence of Duncan, likely referring to poet Robert Duncan, Olson?s contemporary and peer in the Black Mountain College circle. Duncan is portrayed as a transformative figure, a force capable of "breaking through the curtains" to reveal the underlying truths or to expand the possibilities of artistic and cultural expression. His love is described as "aimed aimlessness," capturing a paradoxical intentionality that defies conventional logic—a fitting tribute to Duncan’s experimental poetics.

Olson juxtaposes Duncan?s transformative impact with the inertia and moral stagnation of "San Franciscans, washing your hands and your minds." This image of washing suggests a disconnection or refusal to engage with deeper cultural or ethical complexities. By invoking Laodicea, an ancient city often associated with lukewarm faith or complacency (as mentioned in the biblical Book of Revelation), Olson underscores this critique, contrasting it with Duncan’s radical influence.

The poem’s closing lines delve into the interplay of cruelty and love, presenting a tension between destruction and renewal. Duncan?s influence, described as both "cruel" and "lovely," embodies a paradoxical creative force that dismantles the old to make way for the new. This is encapsulated in the phrase "who slew the old sun," suggesting that Duncan’s work challenges and disrupts established norms, embodying a metaphorical slaying of the "Spanish sun." The emergence of "new North Beach" further emphasizes this theme of renewal, situating it as a cultural epicenter redefined by Duncan’s vision.

Structurally, Olson’s poem resists traditional linearity, instead presenting a fragmented and associative narrative that mirrors the complexity of the subject matter. The language is dense and allusive, requiring readers to piece together the connections between historical events, cultural critique, and personal reflection. The shifts between specific references (Monterey, Potrero Hill) and abstract musings create a layered texture that demands active engagement.

Ultimately, "Who Slays the Spanish Sun" is a meditation on transformation—cultural, personal, and artistic. Olson examines the interplay of history and contemporary life, celebrating figures like Duncan who disrupt complacency and provoke renewal. The poem’s critique of narrowness and its celebration of visionary creativity resonate as a call to transcend limitations, to embrace the paradoxical nature of progress and its capacity for both destruction and creation.

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