Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Louis Zukofsky’s "A -- 1" inaugurates his monumental poetic project, A, with an intricate and multilayered exploration of music, mortality, and social critique. The poem blends Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the fragmented observations of contemporary life, creating a tapestry that juxtaposes the transcendental with the mundane. Zukofsky’s dense language, fragmented syntax, and shifts between voices and contexts challenge readers to navigate the intersections of historical, artistic, and personal narratives.

The poem’s structure, like the Passion it invokes, oscillates between moments of grandeur and intimacy, unity and dissonance. Opening with “Round of fiddles playing Bach,” the poem establishes its central motif of music as both a literal event and a metaphorical resonance. The invocation of Bach situates the poem within a tradition of formal complexity and spiritual reflection, while the subsequent imagery—“Come, ye daughters, share my anguish”—evokes the opening chorus of the Passion, drawing readers into its meditative intensity.

Zukofsky’s language collapses time, layering 18th-century Leipzig with 20th-century New York. The description of patrons in Leipzig—“Matronly flounces, starched, heaving”—morphs into the bustling modern scene at Carnegie Hall: “The autos parked, honking. A German lady there said: (Heart turned to Thee) ‘I, too, was born in Arcadia.’” This juxtaposition of historical and contemporary audiences emphasizes the enduring relevance of Bach’s music while critiquing the commodification and social performance surrounding its modern reception. The honking autos and casual chatter of concertgoers contrast sharply with the spiritual gravity of the music, reflecting Zukofsky’s ambivalence toward the cultural institutions that preserve but also dilute artistic legacy.

The poem’s interplay of sacred and profane reaches a turning point in the vivid and surreal image of “Ecdysis: the serpent coming out, molting, / As tho blood stained the floor as the foot stepped.” The shedding of skin evokes transformation, a key theme of the Passion, but the accompanying imagery of blood suggests both sacrifice and the visceral reality of human suffering. Zukofsky draws a parallel between the Christian narrative of redemption and the contemporary world’s moral and social struggles, highlighting the persistence of violence and inequality beneath the surface of cultural refinement.

Amid these reflections, the poet interjects personal moments of alienation and introspection. The speaker lights a cigarette and observes the post-concert scene, where the crowd’s idle chatter about art and architecture contrasts with deeper existential concerns. The reference to Thomas Hardy’s death—“Poor Thomas Hardy he had to go so soon”—situates the poem within a literary lineage, acknowledging the temporal fragility of human lives and works. Meanwhile, the “tramp’s face” glimpsed through smoke evokes a fleeting, spectral presence, a reminder of the marginalized and forgotten amid the cultural elite.

Zukofsky’s critique of economic inequality becomes explicit in the latter sections, where he contrasts the spiritual aspirations of Bach’s music with the material realities of Depression-era America. The line “The Pennsylvania miners were again on the lockout” shifts the focus to labor struggles and systemic oppression. The irony of magnates boasting about their efficiency in exploiting workers—“Seventy-four yesterday, and could run 'em today”—underscores the moral dissonance of a society that celebrates art while perpetuating injustice.

The poem’s conclusion returns to the theme of music as a transcendental force, yet it is tinged with skepticism: “As if the music were only a taunt: / As if it had not kept, flower-cell, liveforever, before the eyes, perfecting.” The description of music as “leaving no traces” reflects the ephemeral nature of performance and the fleeting impact of beauty in a world marked by suffering and disillusionment. The tension between aspiration and failure resonates throughout, leaving readers with a sense of unresolved longing.

"A -- 1" is both an homage to Bach’s St. Matthew Passion and a critique of the social and cultural conditions in which it is performed and received. Zukofsky’s densely packed lines and shifting perspectives challenge readers to engage with the poem on multiple levels, from its meditations on art and spirituality to its incisive commentary on labor and class. The poem’s fragmented structure and interweaving of voices mirror the complexity of modern life, where beauty and brutality coexist in uneasy proximity. Through its ambitious scope and intricate craft, "A -- 1" sets the tone for Zukofsky’s epic project, inviting readers to explore the intersections of history, art, and human experience.

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