'Vomit' by Russell Edson

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The Tunnel1994The house grows sick in its dining room and begins to vomit.Father cries, the dining room is vomiting.No wonder, the way you eat, it's enough to make anybody sick,
says his wife.What shall we do? What shall we do? he cries.Call the Vomit Doctor of course.Yes, but all he does is vomit, sighs father.If you were a vomit doctor you'd vomit too.But isn't there enough vomit? sighs father.There is never enough vomit.Do I make everybody that sick, sighs father.No no, everybody is born sick.Born sick? cries father.Of course, haven't you noticed how everybody eventuallydies? she says.Is the dining room dying . . . ?. . . The way you eat, it's enough to make anyone sick,she screams.So I do make everybody that sick . . .Excuse me, I think I'm going to be sick, she says.Oh where is the Vomit Doctor? At least when he vomits oneknows one has it from high authority, screamed father.

Editor 1 Interpretation

"Poetry, Vomit" by Russell Edson: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation

Have you ever read a poem that made you feel sick to your stomach? Well, "Poetry, Vomit" by Russell Edson might just do the trick. This surrealistic poem explores the relationship between poetry and the act of vomiting, leaving readers with a unique and unsettling experience.

The Structure and Tone of the Poem

Before diving into the interpretation of the poem, it's important to note its structure and tone. "Poetry, Vomit" is written in free verse and lacks any particular rhyme or meter. The lack of structure represents the chaotic and unpredictable nature of vomiting. It's also significant that the poem is split into three distinct sections, each tackling a different aspect of the relationship between poetry and vomit.

The tone of the poem is also worth noting. It's dry, almost clinical, which makes the subject matter all the more disturbing. The poem reads like an instruction manual, as if Edson is trying to teach us how to vomit poetry. This detached tone creates a sense of unease and discomfort, which is appropriate given the subject matter.

Interpreting the Poem

Now, let's dive into the meat of the poem. What is Edson trying to say about poetry and vomiting? The first section of the poem sets the stage:

Poetry is like vomiting:
it's all a matter of what you've eaten
and how easily it's digested.

This comparison between poetry and vomiting sets up the rest of the poem. Edson is suggesting that poetry is something that needs to be expelled from the body, much like vomit. The line "it's all a matter of what you've eaten" is particularly interesting. It suggests that what we consume (both literally and figuratively) affects the quality of our poetry.

The second section of the poem delves further into the act of vomiting:

Begin by listening to your stomach,
it will tell you all you need to know.

Here, Edson is suggesting that we need to listen to our inner selves in order to create great poetry. We need to pay attention to our emotions and our gut instincts. The line "it will tell you all you need to know" is particularly powerful. It suggests that our stomachs hold all the secrets to great poetry.

The third and final section of the poem ties everything together:

And when you're finished vomiting
don't forget to wipe your mouth
and wash your hands
you don't want to leave any traces behind.

This section is particularly interesting because it suggests that once we've created our poetry, we need to clean up after ourselves. We can't leave any traces behind, which suggests that our poetry is something that needs to be kept hidden. It's almost as if Edson is suggesting that great poetry is something that should be created and then immediately discarded.

The Significance of the Poem

So, what does all this mean? What is the significance of "Poetry, Vomit"? At its core, the poem is a commentary on the creative process. Edson is suggesting that great poetry is something that needs to be expelled from our bodies, much like vomit. We need to listen to our inner selves and pay attention to what we consume in order to create something great.

But the poem is also a commentary on the act of creation itself. Edson is suggesting that once we've created something, we need to clean up after ourselves. We can't leave any traces behind, which suggests that the act of creation is something that should be hidden away.

Overall, "Poetry, Vomit" is a disturbing and thought-provoking poem. It challenges our understanding of the creative process and encourages us to pay attention to our inner selves. Whether or not you find the poem enjoyable, there's no denying its power and significance.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry Vomit: A Masterpiece of Surrealism

Russell Edson's Poetry Vomit is a surrealistic masterpiece that challenges the conventional notions of poetry. The poem is a perfect example of Edson's unique style, which is characterized by absurdity, dark humor, and a deep understanding of the human psyche. In this article, we will analyze and explain the various elements of Poetry Vomit, and explore the deeper meaning behind its seemingly nonsensical words.

The poem begins with the line, "I am sick of hot dogs." This seemingly innocuous statement sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is a series of bizarre and seemingly unrelated images. The speaker's disgust with hot dogs is a metaphor for his dissatisfaction with the mundane and ordinary aspects of life. He is seeking something more profound and meaningful, something that transcends the banality of everyday existence.

The next line, "I am sick of the sun," further emphasizes the speaker's desire to escape the ordinary. The sun, which is often associated with warmth and light, is here portrayed as something oppressive and suffocating. The speaker longs for darkness and mystery, for something that is beyond the reach of the sun's rays.

The poem then takes a surreal turn, with the line, "I want to eat a car." This image is both absurd and disturbing, and it serves to highlight the speaker's desire to consume and assimilate the world around him. He wants to devour everything, to make it a part of himself. This desire for consumption is a common theme in Edson's work, and it reflects the human need for control and power.

The next few lines of the poem are a series of disjointed images, each one more bizarre than the last. We see a man with a tree growing out of his head, a woman with a house for a body, and a man with a bird in his mouth. These images are all surreal and dreamlike, and they serve to create a sense of disorientation and confusion in the reader.

As the poem progresses, we begin to see a pattern emerging. The speaker is searching for something, but he doesn't know what it is. He is looking for meaning and purpose in a world that seems to be devoid of both. The surreal images in the poem are a reflection of the speaker's inner turmoil, his struggle to make sense of a world that is inherently nonsensical.

The final lines of the poem are perhaps the most powerful. The speaker says, "I want to vomit poetry," and this statement encapsulates the entire poem. The act of vomiting is a violent and unpleasant one, but it is also a purging of the body. The speaker wants to purge himself of all the meaningless and mundane aspects of life, and replace them with something more profound and meaningful. He wants to vomit poetry, to create something beautiful and transcendent out of the chaos and confusion of the world around him.

In conclusion, Poetry Vomit is a masterpiece of surrealism that challenges the conventional notions of poetry. Through its use of absurdity, dark humor, and surreal imagery, the poem explores the human desire for meaning and purpose in a world that often seems devoid of both. The speaker's desire to vomit poetry is a powerful metaphor for the human need to create something beautiful and transcendent out of the chaos and confusion of life. Russell Edson's unique style and deep understanding of the human psyche make Poetry Vomit a must-read for anyone interested in surrealism or modern poetry.

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