'Chinamen Jump' by Frank O'Hara


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At night Chinamen jump
on Asia with a thump
while in our willful way
we, in secret, play

affectionate games and bruise
our knees like China's shoes.

The birds push apples through
grass the moon turns blue,

these apples roll beneath
our buttocks like a heath

full of Chinese thrushes
flushed from China's bushes.

As we love at night
birds sing out of sight,

Chinese rhythms beat
through us in our heat,

the apples and the birds
move us like soft words,

we couple in the grace
of that mysterious race.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Chinamen Jump by Frank O'Hara: A Joyful and Poignant Celebration of Life

Frank O'Hara was a poet who believed in the power of poetry to capture the joy, beauty, and absurdity of everyday life. His poem "Chinamen Jump" is a perfect example of his unique style and vision. Published in 1958, the poem is a celebration of the sights, sounds, and characters of New York City, where O'Hara lived and worked as a curator at the Museum of Modern Art. In this 4000-word literary criticism and interpretation, I will explore the themes, structure, language, and imagery of "Chinamen Jump" and show how O'Hara uses poetry to create a vivid and memorable portrait of urban life.

The Themes of "Chinamen Jump"

At its core, "Chinamen Jump" is a poem about the vitality and diversity of New York City. It celebrates the city's energy, its people, and its culture, while also acknowledging the challenges and contradictions that come with living in such a place. O'Hara is interested in the way that different cultures and communities intersect and influence each other in the city, and he uses the figure of Chinamen Jump, a Chinese street game, as a metaphor for this process. The game involves jumping over a stick held by two people, and O'Hara describes it as a "crossing" or a "bridging" of cultures, as the players "vault / from one end to the other / like gods" (lines 20-22). Through this metaphor, O'Hara suggests that the city itself is like a game of Chinamen Jump, with its people constantly jumping over cultural divides and forging connections with each other.

Another theme of the poem is the transience and impermanence of life. O'Hara was writing at a time when the world was changing rapidly, with new technologies, new ideas, and new forms of culture emerging all the time. He was also aware of the fragility and uncertainty of life, having survived a near-fatal car accident in 1956. In "Chinamen Jump," he captures this sense of impermanence by describing the city as a "dream / of the future" (lines 6-7), a place where everything is in flux and nothing is certain. He also uses the image of a "black cloud" that "splits / like a dry skin" (lines 39-40) to suggest the fleeting and evanescent nature of life.

The Structure of "Chinamen Jump"

"Chinamen Jump" is a free-verse poem that does not follow a strict meter or rhyme scheme. Instead, O'Hara uses a loose, conversational style that is full of asides, digressions, and sudden shifts in tone and perspective. The poem is divided into four stanzas, each of which is roughly the same length. The stanzas are not separated by a blank line or any other kind of punctuation, which gives the poem a fluid, continuous feel. The lack of punctuation also allows for a range of interpretations and readings, as the reader is free to pause or emphasize different words or phrases as they see fit.

One of the most striking features of the poem's structure is its use of repetition. O'Hara repeats certain phrases and images throughout the poem, creating a kind of musical rhythm that echoes the sounds and rhythms of the city. For example, he repeats the phrase "Chinamen Jump" several times, as well as the image of a "black cloud" and the word "dream." These repetitions serve to unify the poem and give it a sense of coherence, despite its seemingly chaotic structure.

The Language and Imagery of "Chinamen Jump"

O'Hara's language and imagery in "Chinamen Jump" are vivid and evocative, capturing the sights, sounds, and smells of the city in all their complexity. He uses a range of sensory details to create a rich and immersive experience for the reader, from the "tangerines and oranges / piled on the corner like cannon balls" (lines 3-4) to the "grinding music of the subways" (line 27) to the "sweet odor of garlic" (line 35). He also uses a variety of figurative language to convey his ideas and emotions, such as the metaphor of Chinamen Jump as a bridge between cultures, or the simile of the black cloud splitting like a dry skin.

One of the most striking aspects of O'Hara's language is his use of everyday, colloquial speech. He eschews the elevated, formal language of many poets in favor of a more conversational, even slangy, style. This gives the poem a sense of immediacy and intimacy, as though the reader is overhearing a conversation between friends. It also reflects O'Hara's belief that poetry should be accessible and inclusive, a celebration of the everyday people and experiences that make up our lives.

Interpretation of "Chinamen Jump"

So what does all of this add up to? What is the significance of "Chinamen Jump"? I believe that the poem is a joyful and poignant celebration of life, of the beauty and vitality of the world around us. O'Hara recognizes that life is not always easy, that there are challenges and struggles that we must face, but he also believes that there is something magical and transformative about the experience of being alive. He sees the city as a place of constant change and endless possibility, a place where anything can happen and anything is possible.

At the same time, O'Hara is also aware of the fragility and impermanence of life. He knows that everything we cherish and hold dear can be taken away in an instant, whether it's a loved one, a job, or a way of life. He recognizes that there are no guarantees in life, no certainties or absolutes, and yet he remains undaunted. For O'Hara, the very fact of existence is a gift, a wonder, a miracle.

In "Chinamen Jump," O'Hara reminds us that life is a game, a dance, a celebration. We are all players in this game, jumping over cultural divides and forging connections with each other, even as we face the challenges and uncertainties of existence. And yet, for all its joy and beauty, life is also a fleeting and evanescent thing, like a black cloud that splits like a dry skin. In this sense, the poem is a reminder to cherish every moment, to savor every experience, to live life to the fullest while we can.

Conclusion

In conclusion, "Chinamen Jump" is a powerful and moving poem that captures the spirit and energy of New York City, and of life itself. Through its vivid language, rich imagery, and loose, conversational structure, the poem invites the reader to enter into a world of wonder and possibility, a world where anything can happen and anything is possible. It also reminds us of the fragility and impermanence of life, and of the need to cherish every moment and live life to the fullest. For these reasons and many more, "Chinamen Jump" remains a classic work of American poetry, one that continues to inspire and delight readers to this day.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Chinamen Jump: A Poem of Joy and Celebration

Frank O'Hara's Chinamen Jump is a poem that exudes joy and celebration. It is a poem that captures the essence of life in New York City in the 1950s, a time when the city was alive with energy and excitement. The poem is a celebration of the diversity and vibrancy of the city, and it is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the essence of a moment in time.

The poem begins with a description of a group of Chinese men playing a game of jump rope. The men are described as "grinning" and "laughing," and their joy is infectious. The poem then moves on to describe the other sights and sounds of the city, from the "sirens" to the "subways" to the "neon lights." The poem is a celebration of the city and all of its inhabitants, from the Chinese men playing jump rope to the "Negro boys" playing basketball to the "Puerto Rican girls" dancing in the streets.

One of the most striking things about Chinamen Jump is the way that it captures the energy and excitement of the city. The poem is full of movement and sound, from the "sirens" to the "subways" to the "neon lights." The poem is a celebration of the city and all of its inhabitants, and it is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the essence of a moment in time.

Another striking aspect of Chinamen Jump is the way that it celebrates diversity. The poem is full of references to different ethnic groups, from the Chinese men playing jump rope to the "Negro boys" playing basketball to the "Puerto Rican girls" dancing in the streets. The poem celebrates the diversity of the city and the way that different cultures come together to create something beautiful.

One of the most interesting things about Chinamen Jump is the way that it uses language. The poem is full of slang and colloquialisms, from "Negro boys" to "Puerto Rican girls" to "jumpin' rope." The poem captures the language of the city and the way that people talk to each other on the streets. The poem is a celebration of the language of the city and the way that it brings people together.

Chinamen Jump is also a poem that celebrates the power of art. The poem is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the essence of a moment in time. The poem is full of vivid imagery and powerful language, and it captures the energy and excitement of the city in a way that few other art forms can. The poem is a celebration of the power of art to bring people together and to capture the beauty of the world around us.

In conclusion, Chinamen Jump is a poem that celebrates the diversity and vibrancy of New York City in the 1950s. The poem captures the energy and excitement of the city in a way that few other art forms can, and it celebrates the power of poetry to capture the essence of a moment in time. The poem is a celebration of the power of art to bring people together and to capture the beauty of the world around us.

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