An Explanation of America Book

From the first to the last line of this poem, it was a stimulating experience. From the title I assumed Pinsky had attempted to define America and started to read it with some skepticism. I soon realized that definition was not his goal, but that his title intended a more transcendental sense of the word explanation.

I finished reading this poem ten days ago and I still find myself thinking frequently about some of its content - in particular one still image and a couple of brief visual clips. In these three instances Pinsky potently, but economically, provided perfect examples of what I felt to be his overall message - America may be unique in terms of the geographic locations and visual scenery it offers, but the individuals' experiences of this landscape are determined by a complex, interactive, set of perceptions - some repeated throughout human existence, some shaped by recent history, and some attributable to one's personal past, current situation, and anticipation of the future.

The still image that haunts me involved, as I recall it now, an abandoned farm house along a country highway - about to collapse - with the headstones showing above the tall grass in a nearby family cemetery. A brief glimpse from a speeding car which tells a very complicated story, much of which may suggest characteristics of "America". Perhaps the hopes and dreams of a past generation in a new land, and the changed priorities of subsequent generations. Perhaps the short time that the culture of a remote agricultural life had to develop before the world was shrunk by modern transportation, communication, and agribusiness. These are the types of thoughts this poem sparked in me, and I appreciate the increased complexity this book has brought to my understanding of America.