And Ut Pictura Poesis Is Her Name
By John Ashbery
You can’t say it that way any more.
Bothered about beauty you have to
Come out into the open, into a clearing,
And rest. Certainly whatever funny happens to you
Is OK. To demand more than this would be strange
Of you, you who have so many lovers,
People who look up to you and are willing
To do things for you, but you think
It’s not right that if they really knew you . . .
So much for self-analysis. Now,
About what to put in your poem-painting:
Flowers are always nice, particularly delphinium.
Names of boys you once knew and their sleds,
Skyrockets are good, do they still exist?
There are a lot of other things of the same quality
As those I’ve mentioned. Now one must
Find a few important words, and a lot of low-keyed,
Dull-sounding ones. She approached me
About buying her desk. Suddenly the street was
Bananas and the clangor of Japanese instruments.
Humdrum testaments were scattered around. His head
Locked into mine. We were a seesaw. Something
Ought to be written about how this affects you when you write poetry:
The extreme austerity of an almost empty mind
Colliding with the lush, Rousseau-like foliage of its desire to communicate
Something between breaths, if only for the sake
Of others and their desire to understand you and desert you
For other centers of communication, so that understanding
May begin, and in doing so be undone.
Welcome, aspiring poets and curious minds, to an exploration of John Ashbery’s captivating poem, “And Ut Pictura Poesis Is Her Name.” This piece invites readers into a profound meditation on the nature of art, the act of creation, and the complexities of human communication. Prepare to delve into a world where language dances between the concrete and the abstract, revealing the beautiful struggle inherent in expressing what it means to be alive.
Summary of “And Ut Pictura Poesis Is Her Name”
John Ashbery’s “And Ut Pictura Poesis Is Her Name,” published in his 1987 collection, Houseboat Days, is a rich and thought-provoking poem. The title itself, a Latin phrase meaning “as is painting, so is poetry,” immediately signals the poem’s central concern: the intricate relationship between visual art and written verse, and the very essence of artistic creation. The poem does not offer simple answers but rather navigates the challenges of expressing beauty, meaning, and authentic connection in the modern world.
At its heart, the poem explores the difficulties of self-awareness, the unpredictable flow of inspiration, and the paradoxical human desire for both deep understanding and a certain detachment in communication. It suggests that the very act of attempting to articulate meaning can be a self-defeating yet beautiful endeavor, leading to a tension that remains wonderfully unresolved. This central idea highlights the ongoing, often messy, process of creation and interpretation.
What Makes This Poem Noteworthy
“And Ut Pictura Poesis Is Her Name” exemplifies Ashbery’s distinctive poetic style, often characterized by its associative, stream-of-consciousness quality. Readers should not expect a traditional narrative or a straightforward logical progression. Instead, the poem encourages an immersive experience, inviting engagement with its vivid imagery, shifting rhythms, and unexpected turns. It blurs the boundaries between thought, sensation, and the creative process itself. The poem is celebrated for its deliberate ambiguity and its resistance to easy interpretation, actively encouraging readers to participate in constructing its meaning. This makes it a powerful piece for understanding modern poetic approaches to language and reality.
In-Depth Analysis of “And Ut Pictura Poesis Is Her Name”
The Opening Stanza: A Call for Authentic Expression
The poem begins with a striking declaration that immediately challenges conventional artistic approaches:
You can’t say it that way any more.
Bothered about beauty you have to
Come out into the open, into a clearing,
And rest. Certainly whatever funny happens to you
Is OK.
This opening suggests a rejection of outdated or artificial modes of expression, particularly concerning beauty. The speaker urges a move “into the open, into a clearing,” implying a need for honesty, vulnerability, and a shedding of pretense in the creative process. True engagement with beauty, the poem suggests, requires an acceptance of life’s unpredictable nature, where “whatever funny happens to you / Is OK.” This sets a tone of embracing the unconventional and finding truth in the unpolished.
The Paradox of Self-Perception and Connection
The poem then delves into the complexities of human relationships and self-awareness:
To demand more than this would be strange
Of you, you who have so many lovers,
People who look up to you and are willing
To do things for you, but you think
It’s not right that if they really knew you . . .
So much for self-analysis.
Here, the speaker addresses an implied “you,” perhaps the artist or the creative impulse itself, highlighting a deep-seated conflict. There is an acknowledgment of admiration and connection, yet a simultaneous fear of true vulnerability. The phrase “if they really knew you . . .” hints at an internal struggle with authenticity and the potential for disillusionment. The abrupt dismissal, “So much for self-analysis,” is not necessarily a rejection of introspection but rather a recognition of its limitations. It suggests that endless self-examination can be paralyzing, sometimes hindering the very connection or creation it seeks to understand.
The Building Blocks of Creation: Imagery and Association
The poem shifts focus to the tangible elements of artistic creation, blurring the lines between poetry and painting:
Now,
About what to put in your poem-painting:
Flowers are always nice, particularly delphinium.
Names of boys you once knew and their sleds,
Skyrockets are good, do they still exist?
There are a lot of other things of the same quality
As those I’ve mentioned.
This section directly addresses the “poem-painting,” emphasizing the titular connection between the two art forms. The list of seemingly disparate images—flowers, childhood memories, fireworks—is not presented in a logical sequence. Instead, these fragments emerge associatively, mirroring the way the creative mind often works. Inspiration often arises from unexpected connections and fleeting impressions, much like a painter selecting elements for a canvas. The question “do they still exist?” adds a layer of nostalgia and uncertainty, reflecting a longing for past experiences that inform present creation.
Language, Reality, and the Surreal
Ashbery then explores the texture of language itself and the unpredictable nature of inspiration:
Now one must
Find a few important words, and a lot of low-keyed,
Dull-sounding ones. She approached me
About buying her desk. Suddenly the street was
Bananas and the clangor of Japanese instruments.
This seemingly contradictory instruction—to use both “important words” and “low-keyed, dull-sounding ones”—is central to Ashbery’s aesthetic. It suggests that effective language requires a blend of grandeur and simplicity, substance and grounding. The poem then plunges into a surreal, dreamlike sequence. The mundane act of someone approaching about a desk abruptly transforms into a vibrant, chaotic scene of “Bananas and the clangor of Japanese instruments.” This dramatic shift highlights how ordinary events can trigger sudden, unexpected bursts of imagination, demonstrating the unpredictable and often illogical pathways of artistic inspiration.
The Climax: Mind, Desire, and the Paradox of Communication
The poem culminates in a powerful and complex metaphor that encapsulates its core themes:
Something
Ought to be written about how this affects you when you write poetry:
The extreme austerity of an almost empty mind
Colliding with the lush, Rousseau-like foliage of its desire to communicate
Something between breaths, if only for the sake
Of others and their desire to understand you and desert you
For other centers of communication, so that understanding
May begin, and in doing so be undone.
This concluding section describes the profound tension inherent in the creative act. The “extreme austerity of an almost empty mind” represents a state of openness, a blank canvas awaiting inspiration, while the “lush, Rousseau-like foliage of its desire to communicate” symbolizes the overwhelming abundance of emotions, experiences, and ideas seeking expression. The “collision” of these two forces is both chaotic and generative, the very engine of poetry. The poem concludes with a poignant recognition of the inherent limitations of complete understanding. The phrase “so that understanding / May begin, and in doing so be undone” suggests that the act of communication, while initiating connection, inevitably alters, distorts, or even dissolves the original meaning. This paradox does not necessarily imply despair but rather acknowledges the beautiful, fleeting, and ever-evolving nature of language and human connection.
Literary and Poetic Devices in “And Ut Pictura Poesis Is Her Name”
John Ashbery masterfully employs a range of literary and poetic devices to create the unique texture and profound meaning of “And Ut Pictura Poesis Is Her Name.” Understanding these tools enhances appreciation for the poem’s intricate design.
- Allusion: The title itself is a direct allusion to the Latin phrase “Ut pictura poesis,” popularized by the Roman poet Horace, which means “as is painting, so is poetry.” This immediately establishes the poem’s central theme of comparing and contrasting these two art forms. Later, the mention of “Rousseau-like foliage” alludes to the distinctive, often dreamlike and vibrant jungle scenes painted by Henri Rousseau, evoking themes of nature, the subconscious, and the exotic.
- Imagery: The poem is rich in vivid and often surprising imagery, which appeals to the senses and creates a strong mental picture. For example, “the street was / Bananas and the clangor of Japanese instruments” creates a sudden, chaotic, and colorful sensory experience, while “lush, Rousseau-like foliage” conjures a dense, vibrant natural world.
- Free Verse: The poem is written in free verse, meaning it lacks a strict meter or consistent rhyme scheme. This allows the ideas to flow naturally, mimicking the unpredictable nature of thought and conversation. The absence of traditional constraints gives the poem a spontaneous and conversational feel, inviting the reader to follow its associative leaps.
- Enjambment: Enjambment, the continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line of poetry to the next without a pause, is frequently used. This technique creates a sense of fluidity and urgency, pushing the reader forward and blurring the boundaries between lines. Consider “Bothered about beauty you have to / Come out into the open,” where the thought spills over, reflecting the continuous flow of ideas.
- Juxtaposition: Ashbery frequently places contrasting elements side by side to highlight their differences or to create unexpected connections. The “extreme austerity of an almost empty mind” is juxtaposed with “the lush, Rousseau-like foliage of its desire to communicate,” creating a powerful image of opposing forces colliding to produce art. This encourages readers to look beyond literal interpretations and find deeper, often paradoxical, meanings.
- Paradox: The poem thrives on paradox, presenting statements that seem contradictory but reveal a deeper truth. The concluding lines, “so that understanding / May begin, and in doing so be undone,” exemplify this. It suggests that the very act of seeking and achieving understanding also involves its dissolution or transformation, highlighting the elusive nature of meaning in communication.
- Metaphor and Simile: The poem uses metaphors to draw comparisons without using “like” or “as,” and similes with them. The line “We were a seesaw” is a simile, comparing the interaction between two minds to the up-and-down motion of a seesaw, suggesting a dynamic and perhaps unstable balance. The entire concept of the “poem-painting” acts as an extended metaphor for the interconnectedness of artistic expression.
- Stream of Consciousness: While not a device in the strictest sense, the poem’s overall structure often mimics the natural, unedited flow of human thought, jumping from one idea or image to another without explicit logical transitions. This “stream of consciousness” style contributes to the poem’s dreamlike quality and its resistance to straightforward interpretation.
“And Ut Pictura Poesis Is Her Name” stands as a testament to Ashbery’s genius, celebrated for its profound ambiguity and its invitation for readers to actively participate in the creation of meaning. Through its masterful use of allusion, vivid imagery, free verse, and powerful paradoxes, the poem crafts a poetic experience that transcends conventional boundaries. It encourages deep reflection on the limits of language, the complexity of thought, and the beautiful, ongoing dance between the artist’s inner world and the desire to communicate it.