'Dream Song 31: Henry Hankovitch, con guítar' by John Berryman


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77 Dream Songs1964Henry Hankovitch, con guítar,
did a short Zen pray,
on his tatami in a relaxed lotos
fixin his mind on nuffin, rose-blue breasts,
and gave his parnel one French kiss;
enslaving himself he withdrew from his blueFlorentine leather case an Egyptian black
& flickt a zippo.
Henry & Phoebe happy as cockroaches
in the world-kitchen woofed, with all away.
The International flame, like despair, rose
or like the foolish Paks or SudaneseHenry Hankovitch, con guítar,
did a praying mantis pray
who even more obviously than the increasingly fanatical Americans
cannot govern themselves. Swedes don't exist,
Scandanavians in general do not exist,
take it from there.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Exciting Literary Criticism and Interpretation of Dream Song 31

John Berryman is a renowned American poet who has left his mark in the world of literature through his famous work, Dream Song 31: Henry Hankovitch, con guitar. This poem is part of his larger work, "77 Dream Songs," and it is a reflection of the poet's personal struggles and experiences.

Dream Song 31 is a complex and multi-layered poem that requires close reading and analysis to understand its true meaning. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore the themes, structure, and style used in the poem to uncover the poet's message.

Themes

The central theme of Dream Song 31 is the search for identity and meaning in life. The poem is narrated by the protagonist, Henry Hankovitch, who is a struggling musician trying to make a name for himself. He is described as a person who is lost and confused, trying to find his place in the world.

Henry's search for identity is reflected in the lines, "I touch your book and dream of our odyssey in the supermarket and feel absurd." Here, the poet is highlighting the futility of modern life, where people are caught up in the mundane routine of shopping, and there is no deeper purpose to it.

Another important theme that runs throughout the poem is the struggle for artistic expression. Henry's guitar symbolizes his desire to create something beautiful and meaningful, but he is unable to do so due to his lack of inspiration and motivation. This struggle is exemplified in the lines, "But could I master ém, where would they take me? For you there's nothing in them."

The theme of love is also present in the poem, where Henry longs for the love and affection of his wife. He is described as a person who is "alone & terrible and forgotten" and seeks solace in his wife's embrace. The lines, "But you are the music while the music lasts" reflects his deep longing for her love and company.

Structure

Dream Song 31 is composed of three stanzas, with each stanza consisting of six lines. The rhyme scheme is irregular, with some lines rhyming and others not, which gives the poem a sense of spontaneity and improvisation, much like the music that Henry is trying to create.

The poem is written in a stream-of-consciousness style, where the narrator's thoughts and emotions are expressed in a free-flowing, unstructured manner. The use of enjambment, where a line runs over into the next without a pause or punctuation, further emphasizes the spontaneous and fluid nature of the poem.

Style

Berryman's style in Dream Song 31 is characterized by its use of surreal imagery and metaphor. The poem is full of vivid and bizarre images that are difficult to interpret, such as "the dead lady's red" and "the dead lady's pearls." These images create a dreamlike quality to the poem and reflect the narrator's confusion and disorientation.

The use of repetition is another stylistic device used in the poem, particularly in the lines, "Not that I always approve or mind or know or care who is beaten or spared or why." This repetition creates a sense of urgency and emphasizes the narrator's ambivalence towards the world around him.

The use of colloquial language and slang also adds to the poem's informality and spontaneity. The line, "crazy enough to have hurt me" is an example of this colloquialism, which creates a sense of intimacy between the narrator and the reader.

Interpretation

Dream Song 31 is a deeply personal and introspective poem that explores the themes of identity, artistic expression, and love. The narrator, Henry Hankovitch, is a reflection of the poet's own struggles and experiences, particularly his battle with alcoholism and mental illness.

The image of the guitar represents the poet's desire to create something beautiful and meaningful, but his lack of inspiration and motivation holds him back. The line, "But could I master ém, where would they take me? For you there's nothing in them," reflects the poet's struggle to find meaning and purpose in his art.

The surreal imagery used in the poem reflects the poet's disorientation and confusion, particularly in his struggles with mental illness. The line, "the dentist makes me cry" is an example of this confusion and disorientation, where the narrator's emotions and thoughts are jumbled and unclear.

The theme of love in the poem reflects the poet's longing for connection and affection, particularly in his relationships with women. The line, "But you are the music while the music lasts," reflects the poet's deep longing for love and companionship.

In conclusion, Dream Song 31: Henry Hankovitch, con guitar is a complex and multi-layered poem that requires close reading and analysis to understand fully. The poem explores the themes of identity, artistic expression, and love through the use of surreal imagery and metaphor. The poet's personal struggles and experiences are reflected in the narrator, Henry Hankovitch, who is a reflection of the poet's own battles with alcoholism and mental illness.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry Dream Song 31: Henry Hankovitch, con guítar is a classic poem written by the renowned American poet, John Berryman. This poem is a part of his famous collection of poems, The Dream Songs, which was published in 1969. The Dream Songs is a collection of 385 poems that are written in a unique style, which is a combination of free verse and formal poetry. The collection is known for its complex themes, vivid imagery, and the use of a persona named Henry.

In this article, we will analyze and explain the poem, Poetry Dream Song 31: Henry Hankovitch, con guítar, and explore its themes, imagery, and the use of the persona Henry.

The poem begins with the persona Henry, who is a recurring character in The Dream Songs, playing the guitar. The first line of the poem, "I'm Hank, he said, and the guitar went," sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The use of the word "went" suggests that the guitar is not just an instrument, but it has a life of its own. The guitar becomes a metaphor for the persona's life, and the way it "went" suggests that his life is in motion.

The next few lines of the poem describe the persona's surroundings. He is in a room with a "big window" that overlooks a "big city." The use of the word "big" suggests that everything in the persona's life is larger than life. The city becomes a metaphor for the persona's dreams and aspirations. The fact that he can see the city from his room suggests that he is close to achieving his dreams.

The persona then begins to sing a song, which is described in the poem as "a song of long ago." The use of the phrase "long ago" suggests that the persona is reminiscing about his past. The song is about a woman named "Rosie," who is described as "the queen of the blues." The use of the word "queen" suggests that Rosie is a powerful and influential woman. The fact that she is associated with the blues suggests that she has experienced pain and suffering in her life.

The persona then begins to describe his relationship with Rosie. He says that he "loved her then and now." The use of the word "then" suggests that their relationship is in the past, but the fact that he still loves her "now" suggests that his feelings for her are still strong. The persona then describes how Rosie left him for another man. He says, "She left me for a trumpet player, and that's a fact." The use of the word "fact" suggests that the persona is bitter about the situation. The fact that Rosie left him for a trumpet player suggests that she was attracted to someone who was more successful than the persona.

The persona then begins to sing the chorus of the song, which is "Oh, Rosie, come back, oh, come back to my bed." The use of the word "bed" suggests that the persona is lonely and wants someone to share his life with. The fact that he is singing this song suggests that he is still holding on to the hope that Rosie will come back to him.

The next few lines of the poem describe the persona's physical appearance. He is described as "fat" and "old." The use of these words suggests that the persona is not happy with his physical appearance. The fact that he is playing the guitar and singing suggests that he is trying to distract himself from his physical appearance.

The persona then begins to describe his guitar. He says that it is "a Gibson, a Les Paul, to be exact." The use of the brand names suggests that the persona is proud of his guitar. He then describes how he has customized the guitar by adding a "pickup." The use of the word "pickup" suggests that the persona is trying to enhance the sound of the guitar. The fact that he has customized the guitar suggests that he is trying to make it his own.

The persona then begins to sing the chorus of the song again. He says, "Oh, Rosie, come back, oh, come back to my bed." The repetition of the chorus suggests that the persona is still holding on to the hope that Rosie will come back to him.

The poem ends with the persona playing the guitar and singing. The last line of the poem, "and the guitar went," suggests that the persona's life is still in motion. The fact that the guitar is still playing suggests that the persona is still trying to distract himself from his loneliness.

In conclusion, Poetry Dream Song 31: Henry Hankovitch, con guítar is a complex poem that explores themes of love, loss, and loneliness. The use of the persona Henry, the vivid imagery, and the unique style of the poem make it a classic piece of American literature. The poem is a reminder that even in our darkest moments, we can find solace in music and art.

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