Poetry Analysis

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Constantly risking absurdity

Original Poetry

Translation

Constantly risking absurdity

Always risking looking silly

and death

and dying

whenever he performs

above the heads

of his audience

the poet like an acrobat

the poet like a tightrope walker

climbs on rime

climbs on rhyme

to a high wire of his own making

to a high wire he makes himself

and balancing on eyebeams

and balancing on the audience's eyes

above a sea of faces

paces his way

walks his way

to the other side of day

across to the other side of the day

performing entrechats

performing jumps

and sleight-of-foot tricks

and quick foot tricks

and other high theatrics

and other dramatic acts

and all without mistaking

and all without confusing

any thing

anything

for what it may not be

for what it isn't

For he's the super realist

Because he is the ultimate realist

who must perforce perceive

who must necessarily see

taut truth

clear truth

before the taking of each stance or step

before taking each position or step

in his supposed advance

in his supposed progress

toward that still higher perch

toward that even higher spot

where Beauty stands and waits

with gravity

with seriousness

to start her death-defying leap

to begin her dangerous jump

And he

a little charleychaplin man

like a little Charlie Chaplin

who may or may not catch

her fair eternal form

her beautiful eternal form

spreadeagled in the empty air

spread out in the empty air

of existence

Explanation

In 'Constantly Risking Absurdity,' Lawrence Ferlinghetti compares the poet to an acrobat, highlighting the delicate balance and risk involved in the creative process. The poet, like an acrobat, performs above the audience, balancing on the attention and perception of those watching. The poem suggests that the poet must navigate the fine line between truth and illusion, constantly risking failure and misunderstanding. The imagery of the acrobat performing high above the ground symbolizes the poet's pursuit of beauty and truth, which are depicted as elusive and dangerous. The reference to 'Charlie Chaplin' adds a layer of humor and vulnerability, suggesting that despite the poet's efforts, success is uncertain. The poem captures the essence of artistic endeavor as a daring and precarious act, where the poet must maintain authenticity and clarity while reaching for higher ideals.

Word Dictionary15

Word	In English	Plain (English)	Pron.
absurdity	ridiculousness	silliness	ab-sur-di-ty
acrobat	performer	gymnast	ak-ro-bat
rime	rhyme	a word that has the same ending sound as another	rahy-m
eyebeams	gazes	the focus or attention of eyes	eye-beems
entrechats	dance jumps	a ballet jump where the dancer crosses their legs	an-tre-sha
sleight-of-foot	foot tricks	skillful foot movements	slite-of-foot
super realist	extreme realist	someone who sees things as they truly are	soo-per ree-a-list
perforce	necessarily	must	per-force
taut	tight	tight	tawt
stance	position	the way in which someone stands	stance
perch	high spot	a high or elevated position	perch
gravity	seriousness	importance	grav-i-ty
charleychaplin	comedian	referring to Charlie Chaplin, a famous comedic actor	char-lee-chap-lin
spreadeagled	spread out	stretched out with arms and legs spread wide	spread-ea-gled
existence	being	the state of being alive or real	ex-is-tence

Poet & Context

PoetLawrence Ferlinghetti

Era20th Century

Lawrence Monsanto Ferlinghetti (1919–2021) was an American poet, painter, and social activist. He co-founded City Lights Booksellers & Publishers and is best known for his poetry collection 'A Coney Island of the Mind'. His work often explored themes of social justice and the human condition.

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When1958

WhyThe poem reflects the precarious and daring nature of the poet's role, likening it to an acrobat's performance. It explores the pursuit of truth and beauty, emphasizing the risks involved in creative expression.

FormFree verse

Themes & More

Themes

Artistic RiskTruth and IllusionPursuit of Beauty

Literary devices

Metaphor: The poet is compared to an acrobat, emphasizing the risk and balance in creating art.Imagery: Vivid descriptions of acrobatic feats and the audience's gaze create a visual experience.Alliteration: Repeated consonant sounds enhance the musical quality of the poem.Enjambment: Lines flow into one another without punctuation, reflecting the continuous movement of the acrobat.