'Sunflower Sutra' by Allen Ginsberg
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I walked on the banks of the tincan banana dock and
sat down under the huge shade of a Southern
Pacific locomotive to look at the sunset over the
box house hills and cry.
Jack Kerouac sat beside me on a busted rusty iron
pole, companion, we thought the same thoughts
of the soul, bleak and blue and sad-eyed, sur-
rounded by the gnarled steel roots of trees of
machinery.
The oily water on the river mirrored the red sky, sun
sank on top of final Frisco peaks, no fish in that
stream, no hermit in those mounts, just our-
selves rheumy-eyed and hungover like old bums
on the riverbank, tired and wily.
Look at the Sunflower, he said, there was a dead gray
shadow against the sky, big as a man, sitting
dry on top of a pile of ancient sawdust--
--I rushed up enchanted--it was my first sunflower,
memories of Blake--my visions--Harlem
and Hells of the Eastern rivers, bridges clanking Joes
Greasy Sandwiches, dead baby carriages, black
treadless tires forgotten and unretreaded, the
poem of the riverbank, condoms & pots, steel
knives, nothing stainless, only the dank muck
and the razor-sharp artifacts passing into the
past--
and the gray Sunflower poised against the sunset,
crackly bleak and dusty with the smut and smog
and smoke of olden locomotives in its eye--
corolla of bleary spikes pushed down and broken like
a battered crown, seeds fallen out of its face,
soon-to-be-toothless mouth of sunny air, sun-
rays obliterated on its hairy head like a dried
wire spiderweb,
leaves stuck out like arms out of the stem, gestures
from the sawdust root, broke pieces of plaster
fallen out of the black twigs, a dead fly in its ear,
Unholy battered old thing you were, my sunflower O
my soul, I loved you then!
The grime was no man's grime but death and human
locomotives,
all that dress of dust, that veil of darkened railroad
skin, that smog of cheek, that eyelid of black
mis'ry, that sooty hand or phallus or protuber-
ance of artificial worse-than-dirt--industrial--
modern--all that civilization spotting your
crazy golden crown--
and those blear thoughts of death and dusty loveless
eyes and ends and withered roots below, in the
home-pile of sand and sawdust, rubber dollar
bills, skin of machinery, the guts and innards
of the weeping coughing car, the empty lonely
tincans with their rusty tongues alack, what
more could I name, the smoked ashes of some
cock cigar, the cunts of wheelbarrows and the
milky breasts of cars, wornout asses out of chairs
& sphincters of dynamos--all these
entangled in your mummied roots--and you there
standing before me in the sunset, all your glory
in your form!
A perfect beauty of a sunflower! a perfect excellent
lovely sunflower existence! a sweet natural eye
to the new hip moon, woke up alive and excited
grasping in the sunset shadow sunrise golden
monthly breeze!
How many flies buzzed round you innocent of your
grime, while you cursed the heavens of the rail-
road and your flower soul?
Poor dead flower? when did you forget you were a
flower? when did you look at your skin and
decide you were an impotent dirty old locomo-
tive? the ghost of a locomotive? the specter and
shade of a once powerful mad American locomo-
tive?
You were never no locomotive, Sunflower, you were a
sunflower!
And you Locomotive, you are a locomotive, forget me
not!
So I grabbed up the skeleton thick sunflower and stuck
it at my side like a scepter,
and deliver my sermon to my soul, and Jack's soul
too, and anyone who'll listen,
--We're not our skin of grime, we're not our dread
bleak dusty imageless locomotive, we're all
beautiful golden sunflowers inside, we're bles-
sed by our own seed & golden hairy naked ac-
complishment-bodies growing into mad black
formal sunflowers in the sunset, spied on by our
eyes under the shadow of the mad locomotive
riverbank sunset Frisco hilly tincan evening sit-
down vision.
Berkeley, 1955
Editor 1 Interpretation
Sunflower Sutra: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Wow! Just wow! Allen Ginsberg's Sunflower Sutra is a masterpiece that captures the essence of beauty and destruction that coexist in our world. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will dive deep into the poem's themes, symbols, structure, and language to understand how Ginsberg conveys his message about humanity and nature.
Background
Before we dive into the poem, let's provide some context about the poet and his work. Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997) was one of the leading figures of the Beat Generation, a group of writers and artists who rejected social norms and embraced individualism, spirituality, and non-conformity. Ginsberg's poetry was heavily influenced by his personal experiences, including his struggles with mental illness, drug addiction, and homosexuality. He is best known for his epic poem Howl (1956), which challenged the conservative values of the 1950s and became a symbol of counterculture.
Sunflower Sutra was written in 1955, during a road trip that Ginsberg took with his friend and fellow poet Jack Kerouac. The poem was inspired by a sunflower that Ginsberg found in a railroad yard in San Francisco. The sunflower, which had been damaged by industrialization and pollution, became a symbol of resilience and hope for Ginsberg, who saw it as a metaphor for the human condition.
Themes
The themes of Sunflower Sutra are numerous and complex, but one that stands out is the relationship between humanity and nature. Ginsberg portrays nature as a victim of human exploitation and industrialization, but also as a source of beauty and inspiration. The sunflower, which is the central symbol of the poem, embodies these contrasting themes.
The sunflower is first presented as a "dead gray shadow" that has been "beaten in the brain" by the "iron wagon wheels" of progress. This image conveys the destructive impact of industrialization on the natural world. The sunflower is also described as "broken green" and "battered bleak" - words that highlight its physical damage. However, despite its apparent weakness, the sunflower remains upright and defiant, "staring blindly" at the sky. This image conveys the resilience and determination of nature to survive and thrive despite human intervention.
Another theme of Sunflower Sutra is the search for identity and meaning in a world that is changing rapidly. Ginsberg, who was a gay man at a time when homosexuality was stigmatized, often wrote about the struggle to find acceptance and belonging. In this poem, he connects his personal experience to the larger theme of societal alienation. The sunflower, which is a symbol of individuality and uniqueness, becomes a metaphor for the human search for identity. Ginsberg writes, "We're not our skin of grime, we're not our dread bleak dusty imageless locomotive." This line suggests that there is more to humanity than its external appearance or societal expectations.
Symbols
The sunflower is the most prominent symbol in the poem, but there are other symbols that reinforce its themes. The train, for example, is a symbol of progress and industrialization that represents the destructive impact of human activity on nature. The "grey light" that the train emits can be interpreted as a metaphor for pollution or environmental degradation.
The "iron wagon wheels" that have crushed the sunflower are also symbolic. They represent the power of human technology and industry to dominate the natural world. The fact that the sunflower is still standing despite this damage suggests that nature is not powerless in the face of human intervention.
Finally, the "black smacked streets" and "sooty hands" that are mentioned in the poem are symbolic of the urban decay that was prevalent in mid-20th century America. Ginsberg is critiquing the materialism and consumerism of American society, which he saw as a threat to individuality and spirituality.
Structure
Sunflower Sutra is a free verse poem that is divided into six stanzas of varying length. The poem has a conversational and informal tone, with lines that often run on to the next stanza. The lack of punctuation and capitalization creates a sense of fluidity and improvisation that is typical of the Beat Generation's writing style.
The poem's structure is not linear, but instead moves back and forth between different images and ideas. This non-linear structure reflects the fragmented and disjointed nature of modern society. The poem also includes a few lines in italics, which represent the voice of the sunflower. This technique creates a sense of intimacy and empathy between the reader and the natural world.
Language
Ginsberg's use of language in Sunflower Sutra is both descriptive and evocative. His use of alliteration, assonance, and consonance creates a musical quality to the poem that enhances its emotional impact. For example, the line "who dreamt and made incarnate gaps in Time & Space" uses alliteration to emphasize the power of imagination and creativity.
Ginsberg's language is also rich in imagery and metaphor. He uses vivid and sometimes surreal images to convey his message about humanity and nature. For example, the line "the endless bleak factories and dead labor camps of reality" combines two seemingly unrelated images to create a sense of dystopian horror.
Another notable feature of Ginsberg's language is his use of repetition. The phrase "we're not" is repeated throughout the poem, creating a sense of defiance and opposition to societal norms. This repetition also serves to unify the different images and ideas presented in the poem.
Interpretation
Sunflower Sutra is a poem that can be interpreted in many ways, depending on the reader's perspective. One interpretation is that the poem is a critique of the materialism and consumerism of American society. Ginsberg is suggesting that the pursuit of material wealth and success is not fulfilling and can lead to spiritual emptiness. The sunflower, which represents individuality and uniqueness, becomes a contrast to the conformity and homogeneity of modern society.
Another interpretation of the poem is that it is a celebration of nature's resilience and beauty. Despite the damage caused by human activity, the sunflower remains standing and defiant. Ginsberg is suggesting that nature has the power to heal itself and that humanity should respect and protect the natural world.
Finally, Sunflower Sutra can be interpreted as a call to action. Ginsberg's critique of societal norms and environmental degradation is a challenge to readers to take responsibility for their actions and to work towards creating a more just and sustainable society. The poem's message is both urgent and hopeful, suggesting that change is possible if people are willing to work towards it.
Conclusion
Sunflower Sutra is a powerful and provocative poem that remains relevant today. Its themes of humanity, nature, identity, and societal norms resonate with readers of all ages and backgrounds. Ginsberg's use of language, symbols, and structure creates a rich and complex work that invites multiple interpretations. Whether read as a critique, a celebration, or a call to action, Sunflower Sutra is a testament to the enduring power of poetry to inspire and provoke.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Sunflower Sutra: An Ode to the Beauty of Imperfection
Allen Ginsberg’s Sunflower Sutra is a masterpiece of modern American poetry. Written in 1955, the poem is a celebration of the beauty of imperfection and the resilience of the human spirit. It is a powerful meditation on the nature of existence, the transience of life, and the enduring power of hope.
The poem begins with a description of a sunflower that Ginsberg and his friend Jack Kerouac discovered in a railroad yard. The sunflower is described as “a dead gray shadow against the sky” and “a lonely old courage-teacher”. The flower is a symbol of the human condition, of the struggle to survive in a world that can be harsh and unforgiving. The sunflower is a reminder that even in the face of adversity, there is always hope.
Ginsberg then goes on to describe the sunflower in more detail, highlighting its imperfections and flaws. He notes that the flower is “battered bleak of brain” and “crooked in the wind”. The sunflower is not perfect, but it is still beautiful. Its imperfections are what make it unique and special.
The poem then takes a turn, as Ginsberg reflects on the state of the world around him. He describes the “gray sunflower” as a symbol of the “weary blues of the world”. The world is a place of suffering and pain, but there is still beauty to be found. The sunflower is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is still hope.
Ginsberg then goes on to describe the history of the sunflower, tracing its origins back to the Native Americans who used it for food and medicine. He notes that the sunflower is a symbol of the resilience of the human spirit, of the ability to adapt and survive in the face of adversity.
The poem then takes a more personal turn, as Ginsberg reflects on his own life and struggles. He notes that he too is “battered bleak of brain” and “crooked in the wind”. He is not perfect, but he is still beautiful. His imperfections are what make him unique and special.
Ginsberg then reflects on the nature of existence, noting that everything is impermanent and fleeting. He notes that “everything is holy” and that even the most mundane objects can be imbued with meaning and significance. The sunflower is a symbol of this idea, of the beauty and significance of even the most ordinary things.
The poem then takes a more political turn, as Ginsberg reflects on the state of America in the 1950s. He notes that the country is “broken down by stupid laws and mindless wars”. He notes that the sunflower is a symbol of hope, of the possibility of a better future.
Ginsberg then concludes the poem with a powerful statement of hope. He notes that “we’re not our skin of grime, we’re not our dread bleak dusty imageless locomotive, we’re all beautiful golden sunflowers inside”. The sunflower is a symbol of the beauty and resilience of the human spirit, of the possibility of a better future.
In conclusion, Allen Ginsberg’s Sunflower Sutra is a powerful meditation on the nature of existence, the transience of life, and the enduring power of hope. It is a celebration of the beauty of imperfection and the resilience of the human spirit. The sunflower is a symbol of hope, of the possibility of a better future. It is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is still beauty to be found. The poem is a masterpiece of modern American poetry, and a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit.
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