THE CLOWN CHASTISED by MARY ANN CAWS: POEM AND ANALYSIS

Eyes, lakes with my simple passion to be reborn

Other than the actor, evoking with gestures

For feather the ugly soot of stage lights,

I have pierced a window in the canvas wall.

Clear traitor swimmer, with my legs and arms

Leaping and bounding, denying the wrong

Hamlet! as if I created in the wave

A thousand tombs in which to virgin disappear.

Joyous gold of the cymbal fists have inflamed,

Suddenly the sun strikes the barrenness pure

Exhaled from my coolness like mother-of-pearl.

Stale night of the skin when you swept over me,

Ungrateful! Ignorant of my whole consecration,

That grease paint drowned in faithless glacier water.

Origins copy
LE PITRE CHÂTIÉ

Yeux, lacs avec ma simple ivresse de renaître

Autre que l’histrion qui du geste évoquais

Comme plume la suie ignoble des quinquets,

J’ai troué dans le mur de toile une fenêtre.

De ma jambe et des bras limpide nageur traître,

A bonds multipliés, reniant le mauvais

Hamlet! c’est comme si dans l’onde j’innovais

Mille sépulcres pour y vierge disparaître.

Hilare or de cymbale à des poings irrité,

Tout à coup le soleil frappe la nudité

Qui pure s’exhala de ma fraîcheur de nacre,

Ranee nuit de la peau quand sur moi vous passiez,

Ne sachant pas, ingrat! que c’était tout mon sacre,

Ce fard noyé dans l’eau perfide des glaciers.

ANALYSIS

"The Clown Chastised" by Mary Ann Caws is a poem that delves into the complex emotions and experiences of a clown. The speaker, who identifies as a clown, expresses their desire to be reborn and to move beyond the role of a mere actor. The poem captures the clown's struggle between the artificiality of the stage and their longing for authenticity and transcendence.

The opening lines, "Eyes, lakes with my simple passion to be reborn / Other than the actor, evoking with gestures," suggest the speaker's yearning for a deeper, more profound existence. They desire to transcend the limitations of their theatrical persona and to be reborn as something more genuine and authentic.

The reference to the "ugly soot of stage lights" implies that the speaker is aware of the artificiality and superficiality of their role. They have, however, "pierced a window in the canvas wall," suggesting that they have found a way to break free from the confines of their theatrical existence and seek something more meaningful.

The speaker describes themselves as a "clear traitor swimmer" who leaps and denies the wrong. This can be interpreted as the clown's attempts to challenge societal norms and expectations, going against the conventional roles assigned to them. The mention of Hamlet alludes to the speaker's desire to create something profound and meaningful, as if they are trying to evoke a sense of tragedy and depth in their performance.

The image of creating "a thousand tombs in which to virgin disappear" suggests the clown's longing for self-transcendence. They want to escape their current state and be reborn into something pure and untouched. The use of the word "virgin" here may imply a desire for innocence or a fresh start.

The next stanza introduces a sense of jubilation and excitement with the "Joyous gold of the cymbal fists." This imagery evokes the physicality and energy of the clown's performance. The sudden striking of the sun and the reference to "barrenness pure" suggests a moment of illumination or revelation, where the speaker experiences a profound realization or insight.

The line "Exhaled from my coolness like mother-of-pearl" further emphasizes the transformative nature of the clown's experience. Mother-of-pearl is known for its iridescent beauty and represents a precious substance. Here, it suggests that the speaker's transformation or revelation is something valuable and exquisite.

The final lines of the poem express a sense of disappointment and betrayal. The speaker refers to a "stale night of the skin" when they were swept over, perhaps indicating a moment of vulnerability or weakness. They feel unappreciated and unacknowledged, as evidenced by the terms "Ungrateful!" and "Ignorant of my whole consecration." The final image of "grease paint drowned in faithless glacier water" suggests a loss of identity or purpose, as if the clown's true self has been submerged and diluted in a cold, indifferent world.

Overall, "The Clown Chastised" explores themes of authenticity, transformation, and the longing for transcendence. The poem delves into the inner world of the clown, highlighting their struggles and desires, while also capturing the transient and ephemeral nature of performance.