Obama Poem
This is a poem by the youthful Obama, with my interpretation, sent as a comment to The American Thinker.
Underground
Under water grottos, caverns
Filled with apes
That eat figs.
Stepping on the figs
That the apes
Eat, they crunch.
The apes howl, bare
Their fangs, dance,
Tumble in the
Rushing water,
Musty, wet pelts
Glistening in the blue.
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Comment: Dec 20, 02:52 AM
The Obama poem isn't bad.
First note that though the beginning line speaks of "Under water grottos..." the poem isn't titled "Under Water", it's titled "Underground". The obvious title isn't chosen, which suggests an intended complexity. "Under water" can simply mean "out of sight", but "Underground" is associated with particular types: spies, terrorists, criminals. And note that while ordinary people can live in "grottos, caverns" in these grottos these particular "out-of-sight" people are described as apes. Perhaps Obama doesn't like them.
These apes both eat figs and step on figs; that is, they both devour and destroy. Criminals, especially political, are commonly described as those who devour and destroy.
And note that in "stepping" on these "figs" (the little people) there's a deliciousness to it, there's a pause to note "they crunch". And in that pleasure the apes "howl, bare / Their fangs, dance, / Tumble in the / Rushing water". These guys really enjoy hurting people.
And note that "Rushing water" suggests not the sea, but a river, one that might flow through a city, much like the Chicago the young Obama later came to know.
Finally, what is the end of this devouring, destruction and celebration? It's "Musty, wet pelts / Glistening in the blue." Now, "wet pelts" from rushing water can not be "musty"; but consider "pelt" as "pelf", that is "ill gotten gain, booty." Then it makes a lot of sense: a political mobster makes money (not respected by the poet, thus "musty"), which he flashes about, "Glistening". This ill-gotten money glistens in the "blue", which might suggest the blue haze of something like a Speakeasy.
Give the guy a break. This is a good poem. He would have made a far better poet than he's going to make a President.
Underground
Under water grottos, caverns
Filled with apes
That eat figs.
Stepping on the figs
That the apes
Eat, they crunch.
The apes howl, bare
Their fangs, dance,
Tumble in the
Rushing water,
Musty, wet pelts
Glistening in the blue.
---------
Comment: Dec 20, 02:52 AM
The Obama poem isn't bad.
First note that though the beginning line speaks of "Under water grottos..." the poem isn't titled "Under Water", it's titled "Underground". The obvious title isn't chosen, which suggests an intended complexity. "Under water" can simply mean "out of sight", but "Underground" is associated with particular types: spies, terrorists, criminals. And note that while ordinary people can live in "grottos, caverns" in these grottos these particular "out-of-sight" people are described as apes. Perhaps Obama doesn't like them.
These apes both eat figs and step on figs; that is, they both devour and destroy. Criminals, especially political, are commonly described as those who devour and destroy.
And note that in "stepping" on these "figs" (the little people) there's a deliciousness to it, there's a pause to note "they crunch". And in that pleasure the apes "howl, bare / Their fangs, dance, / Tumble in the / Rushing water". These guys really enjoy hurting people.
And note that "Rushing water" suggests not the sea, but a river, one that might flow through a city, much like the Chicago the young Obama later came to know.
Finally, what is the end of this devouring, destruction and celebration? It's "Musty, wet pelts / Glistening in the blue." Now, "wet pelts" from rushing water can not be "musty"; but consider "pelt" as "pelf", that is "ill gotten gain, booty." Then it makes a lot of sense: a political mobster makes money (not respected by the poet, thus "musty"), which he flashes about, "Glistening". This ill-gotten money glistens in the "blue", which might suggest the blue haze of something like a Speakeasy.
Give the guy a break. This is a good poem. He would have made a far better poet than he's going to make a President.
posted by mouse at 3:02 AM
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