Constantly risking absurdity
In 'Constantly Risking Absurdity,' Lawrence Ferlinghetti uses the metaphor of an acrobat to describe the poet's role and the inherent risks involved in the pursuit of truth and beauty. The poet, like an acrobat, performs above the audience, balancing precariously on the 'high wire' of his own creation. This high wire represents the delicate balance of crafting poetry, where each word and line must be carefully chosen to convey truth without falling into absurdity. The poem suggests that the poet must be a 'super realist,' perceiving the 'taut truth' before taking each step, much like an acrobat must be aware of each move to avoid falling. Ferlinghetti also introduces the concept of Beauty, personified as a figure waiting to take a 'death-defying leap,' symbolizing the elusive and often dangerous pursuit of artistic beauty. The poet, depicted as a 'little charleychaplin man,' may or may not succeed in capturing this beauty, highlighting the uncertainty and vulnerability inherent in the creative process. The poem's structure, with its enjambment and free verse form, mirrors the acrobat's fluid movements and the poet's continuous struggle to maintain balance.
| Word | Easy Meaning | Translation | Pron. |
|---|---|---|---|
| absurdity | foolishness | the quality of being ridiculous or unreasonable | ab-sur-di-tee |
| rime | rhymes | words that sound similar at the end | raim |
| entrechats | dance jumps | a ballet jump where the dancer crosses their legs in the air | on-truh-shah |
| perforce | necessarily | by necessity | pur-fors |
| charleychaplin | like Charlie Chaplin | resembling the famous silent film comedian known for his comedic and sometimes clumsy persona | chaar-lee chap-lin |
| spreadeagled | spread out | stretched out with arms and legs extended | spred-ee-gld |
| super realist | extremely realistic | someone who perceives reality with great accuracy | soo-per ree-uh-list |
| taut | tight | stretched or pulled tight | tawt |
| gravity | seriousness | the quality of being serious or solemn | grav-i-tee |
| theatrics | dramatic acts | staged performances or dramatic actions | thee-at-riks |
| sleight-of-foot | foot tricks | clever or skillful movements of the feet | slait-uhv-foot |
| eyebeams | gazes | the focus or direction of one's gaze | ai-beemz |
| perch | high place | a high or elevated position | purch |
| advance | progress | movement forward | ad-vans |
| existence | being | the state of being alive or real | ig-zis-tuhns |
Lawrence Ferlinghetti was an American poet, painter, and social activist. He co-founded City Lights Booksellers & Publishers and was best known for his poetry collection 'A Coney Island of the Mind'. Ferlinghetti's work often explored social and political themes.
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