What thoughts I have of you tonight, Walt Whitman, for I walked down the sidestreets under the trees with a headache self-conscious looking at the full moon.
In my hungry fatigue, and shopping for images, I went into the neon fruit supermarket, dreaming of your enumerations!
What peaches and what penumbras! Whole families shopping at night! Aisles full of husbands! Wives in the avocados, babies in the tomatoes, and you, Garcia Lorca, what were you doing down by the watermelons?I saw you, Walt Whitman, childless, lonely, old, poking among the meats in the refrigerator and eyeing the grocery boys.
I heard you asking questions of each: Who killed the pork chops? What price bananas? Are you my Angel?
I wandered in and out of the brilliant stacks of cans following you, and imagined being accompanied by the store detective.
We strode down the open corridors together in our solitary fancy tasting artichokes, possessing every frozen delicacy, and never passing the cashier.Where are we going, Walt Whitman? The doors close in an hour. Which way does your beard point tonight?
(I touch your book and dream of our odyssey in the supermarket and feel absurd.)
Will we walk all night through solitary streets? The trees add shade to shade, lights out in the houses, we’ll both be lonely.
Will we stroll dreaming of the lost America of love past blue automobiles in driveways, home to our silent cottage?
Ah, dear father, graybeard, lonely old courage-teacher, what America did you have when Charon quit poling his ferry and you got out on a smoking bank and stood watching the boat disappear on the black waters of Lethe?
Unpacking “A Supermarket in California”: A Journey Through Modernity and Memory
Welcome, poetry explorers! Today, we embark on a fascinating journey into Allen Ginsberg’s evocative poem, “A Supermarket in California.” This isn’t just a trip to the grocery store; it’s a profound exploration of American identity, poetic legacy, and the search for meaning in a rapidly changing world. First published in 1955 and later included in his groundbreaking 1956 collection Howl & Other Poems, this poem remains a cornerstone of modern literature, inviting readers to ponder deep questions about connection, consumerism, and the echoes of the past.
A Supermarket in California Summary: A Poetic Encounter
“A Supermarket in California” presents a vivid, dreamlike narrative where the speaker, Allen Ginsberg himself, imagines a late-night stroll through a brightly lit supermarket. This isn’t an ordinary shopping trip; it’s a fantastical encounter with the spirits of two literary giants: the American poet Walt Whitman and the Spanish poet Federico García Lorca. The speaker, feeling a “hungry fatigue” and “shopping for images,” seeks inspiration and connection in the most unexpected of places. The poem’s central idea revolves around this yearning for a spiritual and artistic lineage, contrasting the commercialized, alienating environment of postwar America with a nostalgic vision of a more authentic, expansive American experience, as embodied by Whitman.
The poem blends fantasy and reality, creating a poignant dialogue with the past. It’s a lament for a lost American ideal, a critique of modern consumer culture, and a deeply personal quest for meaning. The imagined presence of Whitman and Lorca transforms a mundane setting into a stage for profound reflection, making “A Supermarket in California” a truly unforgettable piece of literature.
The Heart of the Poem: Central Ideas and Themes
The core of “A Supermarket in California” pulsates with several interconnected themes:
- Yearning for Connection and Lost Ideals: The speaker’s primary motivation is a deep desire to connect with the poetic voices of the past, particularly Walt Whitman, whom he addresses as a “dear father.” This connection represents a longing for a bygone era of American idealism, freedom, and spiritual depth that the speaker feels is missing in his contemporary world.
- Critique of Consumerism and Modern Alienation: The supermarket itself serves as a powerful symbol. It represents the commodification of everyday life, the superficiality of consumer culture, and the resulting sense of isolation and emptiness. The poem subtly questions whether true connection and meaning can exist amidst “brilliant stacks of cans” and “frozen delicacy.”
- The Power of Poetic Lineage and Inspiration: By invoking Whitman and Lorca, Ginsberg emphasizes the enduring power of literature to inspire, guide, and challenge. The poem suggests that even in an alienating modern world, artistic voices from the past can offer solace, understanding, and a path toward a more authentic existence.
In-Depth Analysis: Stanza by Stanza Exploration
Let’s delve deeper into the rich tapestry of “A Supermarket in California,” examining how Ginsberg crafts his message through vivid imagery and powerful language.
Stanza 1: The Invitation to Whitman and Lorca
The poem opens with an immediate, intimate address, setting a conversational and confessional tone:
What thoughts I have of you tonight, Walt Whitman, for I walked down the sidestreets under the trees with a headache self-conscious looking at the full moon.
This line instantly establishes Whitman as the central figure of the speaker’s contemplation. The speaker’s “headache self-conscious” suggests a mind burdened by modern anxieties, seeking relief or understanding. The “full moon” often symbolizes illumination or madness, hinting at the dreamlike quality that will soon unfold.
In my hungry fatigue, and shopping for images, I went into the neon fruit supermarket, dreaming of your enumerations!
Here, the speaker’s physical and spiritual hunger is evident. He is “shopping for images,” not groceries, indicating an artistic quest. The “neon fruit supermarket” is a striking image, juxtaposing the artificial glow of “neon” with the natural bounty of “fruit,” hinting at the poem’s central tension between the natural and the artificial. The phrase “dreaming of your enumerations” is a direct allusion to Whitman’s signature cataloging style in poems like “Song of Myself.” Ginsberg yearns for Whitman’s expansive vision, but finds it in a place that feels empty by comparison.
What peaches and what penumbras! Whole families shopping at night! Aisles full of husbands! Wives in the avocados, babies in the tomatoes, and you, Garcia Lorca, what were you doing down by the watermelons?
The exclamation “What peaches and what penumbras!” highlights the speaker’s heightened perception, seeing both the vibrant beauty of the fruit and the shadowy, mysterious “penumbras” or partial shadows. The scene of “Whole families shopping at night” is both mundane and slightly surreal, with “Wives in the avocados, babies in the tomatoes” creating a humorous yet unsettling image of people becoming one with the consumer products. The sudden appearance of Federico García Lorca, the Spanish poet known for his passionate and often tragic verse, adds another layer of artistic lineage and perhaps a sense of shared outsider status.
Stanza 2: A Shared Fantasy in the Aisles
The imagined journey with Whitman continues, painting a vivid picture of the elder poet:
I saw you, Walt Whitman, childless, lonely, old, poking among the meats in the refrigerator and eyeing the grocery boys.
This portrayal of Whitman is tender yet poignant. “Childless, lonely, old” emphasizes his isolation, while “poking among the meats” and “eyeing the grocery boys” alludes to Whitman’s known homosexuality and his celebration of the common person, even in a commercial setting. It also suggests a vulnerability and a search for connection.
I heard you asking questions of each: Who killed the pork chops? What price bananas? Are you my Angel?
Whitman’s questions are both practical and deeply philosophical. “Who killed the pork chops? What price bananas?” reflects his democratic interest in the origins and value of everyday things, a characteristic of his poetry. The sudden, intimate question “Are you my Angel?” reveals a profound yearning for spiritual connection and companionship, echoing the speaker’s own loneliness.
I wandered in and out of the brilliant stacks of cans following you, and imagined being accompanied by the store detective.
We strode down the open corridors together in our solitary fancy tasting artichokes, possessing every frozen delicacy, and never passing the cashier.
The “brilliant stacks of cans” symbolize the overwhelming abundance and superficiality of modern consumerism. The speaker’s “solitary fancy” with Whitman is a shared dream, a rebellion against the rules of the supermarket. “Never passing the cashier” signifies their rejection of the commercial transaction, choosing instead a spiritual possession of the goods, a freedom from the system. The imagined “store detective” adds a touch of playful subversion, as if their poetic rebellion is a minor transgression.
Stanza 3: The Lingering Questions and a Mythic Farewell
As the imagined journey nears its end, the questions become more urgent and existential:
Where are we going, Walt Whitman? The doors close in an hour. Which way does your beard point tonight?
The impending closing of the supermarket doors introduces a sense of urgency and the fleeting nature of their shared fantasy. The question “Which way does your beard point tonight?” is a playful yet serious inquiry about direction and guidance in a world that feels disoriented.
(I touch your book and dream of our odyssey in the supermarket and feel absurd.)
This parenthetical line is a moment of self-awareness, grounding the fantasy in reality. The speaker acknowledges the “absurd” nature of his dream, yet the act of touching Whitman’s book reinforces the tangible connection to his poetic predecessor.
Will we walk all night through solitary streets? The trees add shade to shade, lights out in the houses, we’ll both be lonely.
Will we stroll dreaming of the lost America of love past blue automobiles in driveways, home to our silent cottage?
The vision of “solitary streets” and “lights out in the houses” reinforces the theme of loneliness and alienation. The “lost America of love” is a poignant lament for a bygone era, a romanticized past where connection and community were perhaps more prevalent. The “silent cottage” suggests a yearning for a peaceful, intimate retreat from the clamor of modernity.
Ah, dear father, graybeard, lonely old courage-teacher, what America did you have when Charon quit poling his ferry and you got out on a smoking bank and stood watching the boat disappear on the black waters of Lethe?
The final lines are a powerful and complex blend of personal address and classical allusion. Whitman is hailed as a “dear father, graybeard, lonely old courage-teacher,” emphasizing his role as a mentor and a source of strength. The poem concludes with a haunting image from Greek mythology: Charon, the ferryman of the dead, and Lethe, the river of forgetfulness. By asking what America Whitman had at this mythic moment, Ginsberg suggests a profound loss, a forgetting of foundational values. The image implies that Whitman’s America, perhaps an ideal America, has vanished into the mists of time and forgetfulness, leaving the speaker to grapple with a diminished present.
Literary and Poetic Devices in “A Supermarket in California”
Allen Ginsberg masterfully employs a range of literary and poetic devices to create the unique atmosphere and convey the profound themes of “A Supermarket in California.” Understanding these tools enhances appreciation for the poem’s artistry.
Free Verse and Conversational Tone
Ginsberg’s choice of free verse is crucial. It allows the poem to flow naturally, mimicking the stream of consciousness and conversational style of the speaker’s thoughts. There is no strict rhyme scheme or meter, which creates a sense of spontaneity and intimacy, making the reader feel like an eavesdropper on a private meditation. This contributes to the poem’s engaging and accessible quality.
Allusion: Whitman, Lorca, and Mythology
Allusion, a reference to another work of literature, person, or event, is central to this poem. The most prominent allusions are to:
- Walt Whitman: The entire poem is an extended address and homage to Whitman. References like “dreaming of your enumerations” directly recall Whitman’s poetic style. His depiction as “childless, lonely, old” and “eyeing the grocery boys” alludes to biographical details and themes in his own work.
- Federico García Lorca: His sudden appearance (“and you, Garcia Lorca, what were you doing down by the watermelons?”) alludes to his status as a passionate, often marginalized poet, and perhaps to his own experiences with alienation and persecution.
- Greek Mythology: The powerful concluding lines, “Charon quit poling his ferry and you got out on a smoking bank and stood watching the boat disappear on the black waters of Lethe,” are a direct allusion to the underworld. Charon ferries souls across the river Styx (or Acheron) to the afterlife, and Lethe is the river of forgetfulness. This mythological framework elevates the poem’s ending to a universal, timeless lament for loss and forgotten ideals.
Imagery: Vivid and Evocative
Ginsberg paints striking pictures with his words, engaging the reader’s senses:
- “neon fruit supermarket”: A sensory blend of artificial light and natural produce, highlighting the poem’s central tension.
- “What peaches and what penumbras!”: Juxtaposes vibrant color with shadowy mystery.
- “brilliant stacks of cans”: Evokes the overwhelming, almost blinding, abundance of consumer goods.
- “black waters of Lethe”: A dark, somber image that conveys a sense of finality and profound loss.
Symbolism: The Supermarket as a Modern Labyrinth
The supermarket is more than just a setting; it is a potent symbol. It represents:
- Modern American Consumer Culture: Its aisles, products, and commercial transactions embody the materialism and commodification of postwar society.
- Alienation and Loneliness: Despite being filled with “Whole families shopping at night,” the speaker and Whitman remain in their “solitary fancy,” highlighting a pervasive sense of isolation.
- A Labyrinth or Wasteland: For the speaker, it’s a place where true meaning and spiritual nourishment are hard to find, a stark contrast to the natural world often celebrated by Whitman.
Metaphor and Simile
While not overtly laden with traditional metaphors, the entire imagined journey with Whitman can be seen as an extended metaphor for the speaker’s search for poetic guidance and a lost American spirit. The act of “shopping for images” is a metaphorical representation of the poet’s creative process.
Rhetorical Questions
Ginsberg uses rhetorical questions to engage the reader and emphasize the speaker’s uncertainty and yearning:
- “Are you my Angel?”
- “Where are we going, Walt Whitman?”
- “Which way does your beard point tonight?”
- “what America did you have when Charon quit poling his ferry…”
These questions are not meant to be answered literally but rather to provoke thought and highlight the speaker’s quest for direction and understanding.
Juxtaposition and Contrast
The poem thrives on contrasts:
- The natural world (trees, full moon, peaches) versus the artificial (neon, brilliant stacks of cans).
- The expansive, democratic vision of Whitman versus the confined, commercial space of the supermarket.
- The speaker’s “hungry fatigue” and search for meaning versus the superficial abundance of consumer goods.
Repetition and Enumeration
While “dreaming of your enumerations” alludes to Whitman’s style, Ginsberg also uses a form of listing, particularly in the first stanza, to create a sense of overwhelming detail and observation:
Aisles full of husbands! Wives in the avocados, babies in the tomatoes…
This technique mimics the sensory overload of a supermarket and the speaker’s attempt to process it all.
Personification
The supermarket itself takes on a living quality through the speaker’s perception, almost becoming a character in its own right, a “neon fruit supermarket” that seems to beckon and overwhelm.
Alliteration and Assonance
Subtle sound devices enhance the poem’s musicality:
- Alliteration (repetition of initial consonant sounds): “sidestreets under the trees with a headache self-conscious” or “poking among the pork chops.”
- Assonance (repetition of vowel sounds): “dreaming of your enumerations.”
These devices contribute to the poem’s rhythm and sonic texture, drawing the reader deeper into its world.
Why “A Supermarket in California” Continues to Resonate
Allen Ginsberg’s “A Supermarket in California” remains a powerful and relevant poem because it speaks to universal human experiences: the search for connection, the longing for a lost ideal, and the struggle to find meaning in a world often dominated by commercialism. Through its vivid imagery, profound allusions, and deeply personal tone, the poem invites readers to reflect on their own place in society and their relationship to the past. It challenges us to look beyond the surface of everyday life and to consider the deeper cultural and spiritual currents that shape our existence. This enduring exploration of identity and inspiration ensures that Ginsberg’s poetic journey through the supermarket continues to captivate and enlighten.