Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Gary Snyder’s "What Steps" is a cryptic yet deeply evocative meditation on spiritual transformation, personal change, and the unpredictable nature of existence. The poem weaves together elements of Eastern philosophy, personal references, and surreal imagery, creating a fluid, open-ended exploration of consciousness and impermanence. Snyder, a poet deeply influenced by Buddhism, Hinduism, and countercultural movements, presents a moment of questioning and response, where the nature of suffering, or evil, is reframed not as a moral dilemma but as an essential part of the unfolding cosmic narrative.

The poem begins with a quote attributed to Ramakrishna, the 19th-century Hindu mystic: Disciple: “Why is there evil in the universe?” / Ramakrishna: “To thicken the plot.” This exchange sets the tone for the poem, establishing a perspective in which suffering and chaos are not external intrusions upon existence but rather essential to its depth and meaning. By including this exchange, Snyder suggests that difficulties and contradictions are necessary elements in the unfolding of both personal and cosmic stories. This perspective aligns with his Buddhist influences, where suffering (dukkha) is an intrinsic part of samsara—the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.

The phrase "What steps." appears twice, acting as both a question and an answer, a pause that invites contemplation. It suggests both movement and reflection, hinting at the stages of spiritual or personal development. The next few lines introduce a group of figures, likely people from Snyder’s own life: Philip shaving his head, Keith looney, Allen benign, Dick in charge,
These names are likely references to individuals within Snyder’s intellectual and countercultural circles. Philip shaving his head suggests an act of renunciation, possibly a Buddhist or Hindu-inspired gesture of detachment. Keith looney might refer to someone perceived as eccentric, while Allen benign could reference Allen Ginsberg, whose gentle presence and spiritual explorations were well known. Dick in charge suggests a figure of authority, though his role is left ambiguous. This brief list functions as a snapshot of a spiritual and cultural milieu, where different individuals take different paths toward insight, madness, leadership, or resignation.

Snyder then shifts to a broader reflection: “Not magic, not transcendence exactly but—all created things are of the Mother—”
This line emphasizes a view of reality that is neither supernatural nor detached from the material world. Instead, it acknowledges a deep, organic interconnection with the Mother, likely a reference to the divine feminine, nature, or the universal creative force. The line evokes a sense of immanence—rather than seeking transcendence beyond the world, the sacred is found within it. The next phrase—
"or—the un-created day by day / stepping in to the power within." —further reinforces this theme. It suggests an ongoing, moment-by-moment engagement with existence, a process of unfolding rather than an arrival at a fixed revelation. The term "un-created" resonates with Buddhist and Hindu ideas of ultimate reality—something beyond conceptual formulation, not bound by creation and destruction.

The repetition of "What steps" returns, this time directing the reader toward a cosmic vision: “In the starry night.”
The reference to Tārā, a Buddhist bodhisattva associated with compassion and protection, introduces a spiritual presence into the nightscape. Yet the following images— ’‘Tārā’s eyes / revolvers clicking / raccoon eyes shine back lanterns fading —disrupt any conventional sense of divinity. The association of Tārā’s eyes with revolvers clicking creates a startling juxtaposition, blending the sacred with the violent. The image of raccoon eyes shining back suggests the presence of wildness and mystery in the dark, while lanterns fading implies the impermanence of human light and guidance. These images build an atmosphere of uncertainty, as if enlightenment and danger coexist within the same unfolding moment.

The parenthetical line—”(Bhagavan Das like a National Park)” —introduces another enigmatic reference. Bhagavan Das, an American spiritual teacher associated with the counterculture movement, is compared to a National Park, perhaps suggesting that he has become a fixed or institutionalized figure in the spiritual landscape, a monument rather than an active force. The humor in this comparison lightly critiques the way spiritual figures can become icons rather than dynamic seekers.

The poem then shifts into an image of struggle and persistence: putting chains on in the mud.
This line grounds the poem in a moment of physical difficulty, possibly a reference to an actual event of placing tire chains on a vehicle in rough conditions, or metaphorically suggesting the weight and labor of navigating the world’s obstacles. The phrase also evokes the Buddhist notion of samsara—the continuous cycle of struggle and rebirth.

The final lines introduce a childlike yet ominous refrain:  “To turn our mad dance partner / spinning laughing / ashes, ashes, —all fall down.” The reference to Ring Around the Rosie, a nursery rhyme often associated (perhaps falsely) with the Black Plague, adds an eerie resonance. The mad dance partner could be life itself, chaos, or even death, which ultimately leads to ashes. The final phrase—"all fall down"—acknowledges the inevitable dissolution of all things, reinforcing the Buddhist understanding of impermanence.

Snyder’s "What Steps" is a poetic koan, blending humor, philosophical inquiry, and fragmented glimpses of people, landscapes, and spiritual figures. The poem resists linear interpretation, offering instead a collection of moments and reflections that circle around the central mystery of existence. Its language moves fluidly between the mundane and the mystical, the personal and the universal. By engaging with figures like Ramakrishna, Tārā, and Bhagavan Das, while also referencing tire chains in the mud and raccoon eyes in the dark, Snyder presents a vision of life that is at once deeply grounded and infinitely expansive. The poem does not resolve its questions but instead invites the reader to step into the unknown, to embrace the mystery, and to recognize that every twist of the plot—every challenge, encounter, and moment of insight—is part of the ongoing dance of existence.

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