Constantly Risking Absurdity

Structure

Constantly Risking Absurdity

• Varied Structure

• inconsistency in the poem’s rhyme scheme, metric pattern, and overall layout

• Emphasizes the chaotic atmosphere

• inner turmoil writers are faced with as a result of their attempts to create a self-image through their work and satisfy the judgments of their audience

Occasion / Setting

by Lawrence Ferlinghetti

• Setting: Circus environment
• "When he performs above the heads/of his audience"
• the poet/ circus performer is constantly in exhibition and exposes himself for the entertainment of others all the while encountering criticism and risking his reputation and self-image
• "Balancing on eye beams / above a sea of faces"
• The circus performer like the poet must withstand judgment

The speaker

• The Poet as part of the audience
• Third-Person Point-of-View
• Allows the reader to visualize the chaotic and tense nature of the circus act, while figuratively representing the life of an author
• Reflecting on his life as a writer who “performs about the heads of his audience”, constantly in a vulnerable state in which his reputation is dependent on the criticism he receives.

Diction

• Simple, casual, and obscure

Theme

• creates an atmosphere of judgement and criticism

• Ferlinghetti creates a false image of comfort and amusement through diction and the setting of a circus

Type of Poem

• Euphony is demonstrated as Ferlinghetti's usage of diction conceals the inner turmoil writers and individuals face when attempting to satisfy the expectations of their critiques

Ferlinghetti's use of vivid imagery, symbols, and allusions develops a clear understanding that one must strive for self-satisfaction instead of complaisance in what one does because it is impossible for one to satisfy all of society's differing criticisms.

Figurative Language

• Free Verse
• inconsistent metric patterns and rhyme scheme
• The lack of consistency in the structure reflects the insecurity and vulnerability felt by authors, whose future is dependent on what becomes of their works

Quote: “the poet like an acrobat / climbs on rime / to a high wire of his own making”

• The “rime...of his own making” can easily be broken, similar to the way a writer’s work can easily damage their reputation or cause controversy.

• As writers, their reputation is defined by the criticism of their audience, often proving to be an obstacle to their success.

Imagery

"balancing on eyebeams above a sea of faces"

• portrays treacherous, unstable environment in which poet is constantly being judged and criticized

"before the taking of each stance or step in his supposed advance toward that still higher perch"

• shows poet's dreams and aspirations to someday please his entire audience.

"waits with gravity to start her death-defying leap"

• demonstrates poet's insecurity in publishing his work since he in uncertain whether it will satisfy his audience

• Imagery
• Symbolism
• Allusions

Symbolism

"Beauty stands and waits with gravity to start her death-defying leap"

• "Beauty" symbolizes the poet's work to which he has dedicated much time and feeling in hopes of making it be accepted by all.
• Despite the poet's pride in his work, he is still uncertain as to whether all of his effort is enough to please his audience.

"Constantly Risking Absurdity"

Allusions

"a little charleychaplin man"

• Charley Chaplin was a silent film comedian, who strived to entertain his audience.
• The only way that the poet feels he can get his ideas across is through his work.
• Allusion serves to show how the poet is only striving to please his audience and not considering the self-satisfaction that has come from his work.

Constantly risking absurdity

and death

whenever he performs

above the heads

of his audience

the poet like an acrobat

climbs on rime

to a high wire of his own making

and balancing on eyebeams

above a sea of faces

paces his way

to the other side of day

performing entrechats

and sleight-of-foot tricks

and other high theatrics

and all without mistaking

any thing

for what it may not be

For he's the super realist

who must perforce perceive

taut truth

before the taking of each stance or step

in his supposed advance

toward that still higher perch

where Beauty stands and waits

with gravity

to start her death-defying leap

And he

a little charleychaplin man

who may or may not catch

her fair eternal form

spreadeagled in the empty air

of existence

Tones

Dramatic: "Constantly risking absurdity and death" (lines 1-2)

• the extent of a person's risks
• the effect of society's criticisms

Chaotic: "above a sea of faces paces his way to the other side of day performing entrechats and sleight-of-foot tricks and other high theatrics" (lines 10-15)

• the environment
• the difficulty of pleasing society's expectations

Conclusion

Kevin Ramos

Jesus Cervantes

Patricia Ortiz

Jessy Velazquez

One should work towards fulfilling self-satisfaction over society's high maintenance standards .

• free verse poem: insecurity and vulnerability
• tone: chaotic and dramatic
• symbolism: Beauty's uncertainty
• vivid imagery: the balancing, the struggle towards the other side