"Feeding the Pear" in Waldrep, Disclamor, Rochester, N.Y.: BOA, 2007; page 64.
In high school AP English, the guiding light of our poetry analysis was "stay as literal as you can for as long as you can." That approach is nearly useless here -- no logical person would attempt to feed a pear, which of course means it is the perfect subject for a poem. Similarly, carrot sticks are the first things offered to the pear; even without questioning why the poet has carrot sticks at church, I would have tried countless other things (up to and including Carrot Top) before carrot sticks.
Will we ever know for certain why the poet chose carrots and sugar as foodstuffs? Short of finding G.C. Waldrep on the street in Lewisburg, Pa., quite likely we will not. Will we ever comprehend what the pear represents or why it must remain in the room (or, for that matter, how the poet obtained sugar from the fellowship hall given that constraint)? The same answer above also applies to all three of those.
Of course, that will never stop me from making (slightly-)educated guesses. I think the pear could be an ego, soft and easily bruised; of course, if those had to stay in one place, the world would be much simpler ... and we'd stay out of Alaska. Is it a debate? Those, too, hurt feelings, but similarly are nearly omnipresent.
The identity of the pear hasn't yet come to me. Maybe it will soon. Or maybe it will come in a dream during the next 5 a.m. downpour.
Maybe that's too grandiose . . .
Maybe
. . .
Tony, I like that you can't stop making "slightly" educated guesses here--and your interactive and imaginative way of reading the poem. Somehow the pear has become more real for me through reading your response to the poem;-)
ReplyDeleteHmm... maybe feeding the pear some carrot sticks is the author's way of promoting near-cannibalism? Or are fruits and veggies too different in texture and/or crunchiness to be considered part of the same lifeform categories? :) All jokes aside, I admire that you even attempted to analyze this poem. I remember when I got to it during a Sunday afternoon Disclamor marathon. I read it, laughed a bit, and moved on - maybe it doesn't serve much grater purpose than that!
ReplyDeleteI like your theory that the pear represents an ego. Pears are definitely fragile fruits and it doesn't take much to bruise them. This poem was very unusual and humorous at the same time. It could have a deeper meaning or it could just be for the sake of laughter. Waldrep seems to challenge his readers to decide which they think it is. This collection certainly reminded me that most poetry should not be interpreted literally!
ReplyDeleteTony, I too attempted to analyze this poem. I too was left with a lot of maybes. I really like your idea that the poem could be an ego. For me, the most intriguing part of the poem came at the end when the narrator was told "the pear stays here." Instantly I felt as if the poem had taken place in some strange place separate from the rest of the world. The speaker was just beginning to enjoy their time with the pear and they were told they had to leave it behind. Perhaps you're right and we're supposed to leave our egos in a special little place.
ReplyDeleteWho knows?