THE CRUDE CRUTCH COMPANY
Stephen L. Harrison's poem 'The Crude Crutch Company' explores themes of nature, existential reflection, and personal confrontation. The poem opens with a 'grass path' obstructed by 'rocks and dirt,' symbolizing life's challenges that need to be 'shoved aside' to smooth one's journey. The 'old willow' represents wisdom and mortality, with the speaker reading 'Death' in its bent form, suggesting an awareness of life's fragility.
The poem shifts to a moment of tranquility as the speaker observes the 'azure blue' sky accompanied by 'skylark song,' which 'quieted' their fear, indicating a temporary escape from existential dread through nature's beauty. This peaceful interlude is disrupted when the speaker 'stubbed' their toe and broke a branch, an act that leads to the creation of 'The Crude Crutch Company,' a metaphor for self-reliance and the makeshift solutions we create to support ourselves.
The emotional arc of the poem moves from frustration and confrontation with obstacles to a brief respite in nature, followed by a return to defiance and self-assertion. The tone is reflective yet defiant, as seen in the speaker's outburst at the clouds, calling them 'boring losers' with 'technocratic fangs,' a critique of modernity's impersonal and controlling nature.
Literary devices such as metaphor and imagery are prominent, with the 'crude crutch' symbolizing the imperfect supports we lean on in life. The poem's free verse form allows for a natural flow of thought and emotion, mirroring the speaker's internal journey. The poem ultimately reflects on the human condition, the struggle against life's obstacles, and the search for meaning and connection amidst chaos.
| Word | Easy Meaning | Translation | Pron. |
|---|---|---|---|
| crude | unrefined, rough | simple and not carefully made | krood |
| crutch | support, aid | a stick or support used to help someone walk | kruch |
| azure | bright blue | a clear blue color like the sky | azh-er |
| technocratic | bureaucratic, controlling | relating to a system controlled by technical experts | tek-no-krat-ik |
| fangs | sharp teeth | long, pointed teeth | fangz |
| willow | a type of tree | a tree with long, thin branches | wil-oh |
| skylark | a type of bird | a small bird known for its singing | sky-lark |
| bent | curved, not straight | having a curved shape | bent |
| worn | used, old | damaged from use | worn |
| shove | push | to push roughly | shuhv |
| smooth | even, flat | having an even surface | smooth |
| stubbed | hit, struck | to accidentally hit (a toe) | stuhbd |
| shouted | yelled, called out | to speak loudly | shout-ed |
| lawns | grass areas | areas of grass in a garden | lawns |
| fear | worry, anxiety | an unpleasant emotion caused by danger | feer |
Stephen L. Harrison is a contemporary poet whose works are not widely documented in major literary databases. His poetry often explores themes of nature, existential reflection, and personal confrontation.