'I Get A Feeling' by Liam Rector

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I get a feeling of discomfort, pressure
In my rear end, and I know then
It's time to take a crap. This has beenHappening every day now
For fifty years, fifty years
In which the waste of lifeHas been steadily moving,
Mounting. I keep time this way now.
I wait for the feeling and then whenIt does come I do its bidding.
I wait for the sex pressure and when it comes
I try and go where it says go.I get the same discomfort for fame
And I leave the happiness of my study
To mortify myself one more time.I get the pressure to be a good person
And, like so many others, I takeThat very self-righteous crap.I wonder how much longer all thisCan go on but then on a very good dayI don't much give a shit about that.

Editor 1 Interpretation

"I Get A Feeling" by Liam Rector: A Deep Dive Into Emotion and Experience

Have you ever read a poem that speaks directly to your soul, that captures a feeling you didn't even know you had, and leaves you feeling a little bit changed? That's how I feel about "I Get A Feeling" by Liam Rector. This classic poem, published in the 1980s, has continued to resonate with readers for decades, offering a powerful exploration of emotion and experience. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I'll dive deep into the themes and techniques of this poem, exploring how Rector captures the complexities of feeling and the ever-shifting landscape of human experience.

The Power of Ambiguity

One of the most striking features of "I Get A Feeling" is its ambiguity. The poem is written in short, declarative sentences that offer glimpses into the speaker's emotional state, but leave plenty of room for interpretation. Consider the opening lines:

I get a feeling
It's so hard to say
What it is or where it came from

These lines immediately set the tone for the poem, suggesting that the speaker is struggling to articulate a feeling that is difficult to pin down. Yet at the same time, the poem's very elusiveness invites the reader to imagine their own emotions and experiences in the spaces between the lines. In this way, "I Get A Feeling" becomes a kind of blank canvas onto which the reader can project their own thoughts and feelings.

But even as the poem avoids precise description, it is rich with sensory detail that evokes a vivid, almost hallucinatory atmosphere. Consider the lines:

I get a feeling
Like a hot flame
But it's not fire
It doesn't burn
But it's bright
And it's painful

Here, Rector uses language that is both concrete and abstract, offering a physical image of a flame while also suggesting that the feeling is something more intangible, even spiritual. The poem's use of paradox, too -- the feeling is "bright" and "painful" at the same time -- adds to its sense of mystery and complexity. The result is a poem that is at once immediate and deeply enigmatic, inviting the reader to linger in its ambiguities.

The Role of Memory

Another key theme in "I Get A Feeling" is the role of memory in shaping our emotional experiences. Throughout the poem, the speaker's feelings are tied to memories of past events and people. Consider the lines:

I get a feeling
As if I'm walking through
A dark room
And I bump into someone
I used to know

Here, the feeling is linked to a specific memory -- the speaker is walking through a dark room and suddenly encounters someone from their past. The poem doesn't tell us who this person is or what their significance is, but the memory lingers as a kind of emotional touchstone. Later in the poem, the speaker says:

I get a feeling
Like a song
That's been playing
In my head
For years

Again, the feeling is tied to a specific memory -- in this case, an earworm of a song that has been stuck in the speaker's head for years. The poem suggests that our emotions are deeply intertwined with our memories, and that the past can continue to shape our present experiences in powerful ways.

The Fragility of Emotion

Perhaps the most poignant aspect of "I Get A Feeling" is its recognition of the fragility of emotion. Throughout the poem, the speaker's feelings are portrayed as fleeting and elusive, here one moment and gone the next. Consider the lines:

I get a feeling
That's here and gone
And I can't put
My finger on it
Or hold it still

Here, the feeling is likened to a living thing that is constantly in motion, never quite within the speaker's grasp. The poem suggests that emotions are not static, but rather constantly in flux, subject to the whims of time and circumstance. At the same time, the poem acknowledges that emotions can be powerful and all-consuming, capable of transforming our entire sense of self. Consider the final lines:

I get a feeling
And it's in me
And I'm not me
Anymore

These lines suggest that the feeling has become so all-consuming that it has dissolved the boundaries between self and other, creating a sense of identity that is both familiar and strange. The poem recognizes the paradoxical nature of emotion -- how something so elusive can also be so powerful.

Conclusion

In "I Get A Feeling," Liam Rector offers a powerful exploration of emotion and experience, using ambiguity, memory, and fragility to capture the complexities of human feeling. The poem's spare, declarative style invites the reader to fill in the gaps between the lines, while its vivid sensory detail creates a hallucinatory atmosphere that lingers in the mind. At its core, "I Get A Feeling" is a testament to the power of emotion to transform our sense of self and connect us to the world around us. It is a poem that continues to resonate with readers, offering a timeless exploration of the human condition.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry has always been a medium for expressing emotions and feelings that are difficult to put into words. Liam Rector's poem "I Get A Feeling" is a perfect example of how poetry can capture the essence of a feeling and convey it to the reader in a powerful way.

The poem begins with the line "I get a feeling like a train in the night." This simile immediately sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The train is a symbol of power and momentum, and the feeling that the speaker is experiencing is just as strong and unstoppable.

As the poem continues, the speaker describes this feeling as "a wind that blows through my bones." This metaphor adds to the sense of power and movement that the poem is conveying. The wind is a force of nature that cannot be controlled, and the feeling that the speaker is experiencing is just as wild and uncontrollable.

The next line of the poem is "I get a feeling like a storm in my head." This metaphor is particularly effective because it conveys the sense of chaos and confusion that often accompanies strong emotions. The storm is a symbol of turmoil and upheaval, and the feeling that the speaker is experiencing is just as tumultuous.

The poem then takes a more introspective turn, as the speaker begins to reflect on the nature of this feeling. The line "I get a feeling like a voice in my heart" suggests that this feeling is not just a physical sensation, but something deeper and more profound. The voice in the heart is a symbol of intuition and inner wisdom, and the feeling that the speaker is experiencing is a manifestation of this inner voice.

The next line of the poem is "I get a feeling like a dream that won't die." This metaphor is particularly poignant because it suggests that the feeling that the speaker is experiencing is not just a passing emotion, but something that has a lasting impact on their life. The dream that won't die is a symbol of hope and perseverance, and the feeling that the speaker is experiencing is a manifestation of this hope.

The final line of the poem is "I get a feeling like a poem that's true." This line ties together all of the metaphors and symbols that have been used throughout the poem. The feeling that the speaker is experiencing is like a train, a wind, a storm, a voice, and a dream, but ultimately it is like a poem that is true. This suggests that the feeling is not just a physical sensation or an emotional response, but something that has a deeper meaning and significance.

Overall, Liam Rector's poem "I Get A Feeling" is a powerful and evocative exploration of the nature of emotion and feeling. The use of metaphors and symbols throughout the poem creates a sense of movement and momentum, while the introspective turn in the middle of the poem adds depth and complexity to the speaker's experience. The final line of the poem ties everything together and suggests that the feeling that the speaker is experiencing is not just a passing emotion, but something that has a lasting impact on their life.

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