Close Reading: Blues - Derek Walcott

 Blues - Derek Walcott

Those five or six young guys

lunched on the stoop

that oven-hot summer night

whistled me over. Nice

and friendly. So, I stop.

MacDougal or Christopher

Street in chains of light.

A summer festival. Or some

saint's. I wasn't too far from

home, but not too bright

for a nigger, and not too dark.

I figured we were all

one, wop, nigger, jew,

besides, this wasn't Central Park.

I'm coming on too strong? You figure

right! They beat this yellow nigger

black and blue.

Yeah. During all this, scared

on case one used a knife,

I hung my olive-green, just-bought

sports coat on a fire plug.

I did nothing. They fought

each other, really. Life

gives them a few kcks,

that's all. The spades, the spicks.

My face smashed in, my bloddy mug

pouring, my olive-branch jacket saved

from cuts and tears,

I crawled four flights upstairs.

Sprawled in the gutter, I

remember a few watchers waved

loudly, and one kid's mother shouting

like "Jackie" or "Terry,"

"now that's enough!"

It's nothing really.

They don't get enough love.

You know they wouldn't kill

you. Just playing rough,

like young Americans will.

Still it taught me something

about love. If it's so tough,

forget it.


Source: https://allpoetry.com/poem/8530151-Blues-by-Derek-Walcott

Annotation

Line by Line Analysis of Blues- Derek Walcott

Lines 1-7:

- Key Phrases: "Those five or six young guys / lunched on the stoop / that oven-hot summer night / whistled me over. Nice / and friendly. So, I stop. / MacDougal or Christopher / Street in chains of light."

- Literary Devices: Imagery, setting, personification ("oven-hot"), dialogue.

- Meaning: The speaker describes a group of young men having lunch on a stoop on a hot summer night. The speaker is invited over in a seemingly friendly manner, and the location is specified as MacDougal or Christopher Street, illuminated by chains of light, suggesting an urban setting.

Lines 8-14:

- Key Phrases: "A summer festival. Or some / saint's. I wasn't too far from / home, but not too bright / for a nigger, and not too dark. / I figured we were all / one, wop, nigger, jew, / besides, this wasn't Central Park."

- Literary Devices: Ambiguity, racial terms ("nigger," "wop," "jew"), contrast ("not too bright / for a nigger, and not too dark").

- Meaning: The speaker contemplates the setting, suggesting it could be a summer festival or a celebration related to a saint. There's a reflection on racial identity, unity, and the contrast of not being too bright or too dark. The mention of different racial slurs challenges divisive labels.

Lines 15-21:

- Key Phrases: "I'm coming on too strong? You figure / right! They beat this yellow nigger / black and blue. / Yeah. During all this, scared / on case one used a knife, / I hung my olive-green, just-bought / sports coat on a fire plug. / I did nothing. They fought / each other, really."

- Literary Devices: Rhetorical question, violence, color imagery ("yellow"), fear depicted, imagery.

- Meaning: The tone shifts dramatically as the speaker questions if they came on too strong, revealing a violent attack on the speaker (referred to as a "yellow nigger"). The speaker, scared during the altercation, remains passive, even hanging their just-bought olive-green sports coat on a fire hydrant. The attackers end up fighting each other.

Lines 22-28:

- Key Phrases: "Life / gives them a few kicks, / that's all. The spades, the spicks."

- Literary Devices: Metaphor ("Life gives them a few kicks"), racial slurs ("spades," "spicks").

- Meaning: The speaker reflects on life's challenges, describing them metaphorically as "kicks." The racial slurs ("spades," "spicks") may imply a broader context of discrimination and challenges faced by different ethnic groups.

Lines 29-35:

- Key Phrases: "My face smashed in, my bloody mug / pouring, my olive-branch jacket saved / from cuts and tears, / I crawled four flights upstairs."

- Literary Devices: Imagery, symbolism of the jacket.

- Meaning: The physical consequences of the attack are vividly described. Despite the speaker's face being injured, their olive-branch jacket is saved from harm, possibly symbolizing a hope for peace amid the violence. The act of crawling upstairs suggests a struggle for safety or refuge.

Lines 36-42:

- Key Phrases: "Sprawled in the gutter, I / remember a few watchers waved / loudly, and one kid's mother shouting / like 'Jackie' or 'Terry,' / 'now that's enough!' / It's nothing really. / They don't get enough love."

- Literary Devices: Imagery, dialogue, irony.

- Meaning: The speaker recalls bystanders in the gutter waving loudly. A mother figure intervenes, shouting names like "Jackie" or "Terry," signaling that the violence has gone too far. The speaker downplays the incident, suggesting that the attackers may act out due to a lack of love or care in their lives.

Lines 43-42:

- Key Phrases: "You know they wouldn't kill / you. Just playing rough, / like young Americans will. / Still, it taught me something / about love. If it's so tough, / forget it."

- Literary Devices: Assumption, generalization, reflection.

- Meaning: The speaker suggests that, despite the severity of the attack, the intention might not have been lethal. There's a generalization about rough behavior among young Americans. The poem concludes with the speaker reflecting on the harshness of love, implying that if love is as tough as this experience, it might not be worth pursuing.

Detailed Analysis

The title "Blues" suggests a connection to a musical and emotional genre often associated with hardships, struggles, and personal expression. It sets the tone for the poem, indicating that the narrative may explore themes of pain, resilience, and the human condition.

Lines 1-7:

- The poem opens with the speaker encountering a group of young men on a summer night. The setting is vividly described with sensory details such as the hot summer night and chains of light on MacDougal or Christopher Street.

- The use of dialogue ("whistled me over. Nice / and friendly. So, I stop.") creates a sense of interaction and initial friendliness.

- The reference to a summer festival or saint's celebration adds an air of festivity and cultural context.

Lines 8-21:

- The speaker reflects on racial identity, using derogatory terms like "nigger," "wop," and "jew" to challenge divisive labels. The mention of not being "too bright for a nigger, and not too dark" highlights racial stereotypes.

- The speaker questions if they are coming on too strong, leading to a sudden and violent turn in the narrative ("They beat this yellow nigger / black and blue"). The attack is described, and the racial slur "yellow" may imply a biracial identity.

- The speaker, in a detached manner, hangs their olive-green jacket on a fire hydrant during the violence, indicating a symbolic disconnection from the brutality.

Lines 22-35:

- Life's challenges are metaphorically described as "kicks," and racial slurs ("spades," "spicks") further emphasize the theme of discrimination and hardship.

- The physical aftermath of the attack is detailed, contrasting facial injuries with the jacket saved from harm. Crawling upstairs suggests a struggle for safety.

- Bystanders in the gutter, including a mother figure, intervene, signaling that the violence has gone too far. The irony lies in the juxtaposition of violence with the motherly shout, hinting at the absence of nurturing care in the attackers' lives.

Lines 36-42:

- The speaker downplays the incident, suggesting that the attackers lack love in their lives. This ironic commentary reflects on the societal factors that contribute to violence and the cycle of neglect.

- The poem concludes with a reflection on the harshness of love, implying that if love is as tough as the depicted experience, it might not be worth pursuing.

Overall Themes:

- Racial Identity and Discrimination: The poem explores the speaker's reflection on racial identity and challenges stereotypes, depicting the violence associated with racial tensions.

- Violence and Its Impact: The narrative details a violent encounter, emphasizing the physical and emotional aftermath, and how bystanders react to the brutality.

- Cultural Context: References to specific locations and festivals provide a cultural backdrop, contributing to the overall atmosphere and setting.

- Love and Its Challenges: The poem reflects on the harshness of love, suggesting that the depicted violent experience offers insights into the difficulty of navigating relationships.

Tone and Style:

The tone shifts from casual observation to sudden violence, maintaining a detached and reflective style. The use of racial slurs and the stark imagery contribute to the raw and emotional impact of the poem.

Imagery and Symbolism:

Vivid imagery is employed to evoke the setting, violence, and aftermath. The olive-green jacket symbolizes a form of detachment or protection amid chaos. The use of racial slurs and cultural references adds depth to the narrative.

Conclusion:

"Blues" by Derek Walcott is a poignant exploration of racial identity, violence, and the challenges of love. The poem uses vivid imagery, symbolism, and a shifting tone to convey the harsh realities faced by the speaker and society. The conclusion leaves the reader with a reflection on the complexities of love in the face of adversity.