> "out hemlock way there is a stream / that some have called swan creek; /  the turtles have bloodsucker sores, / and mossy filthy feet; / the bottoms of migrating ducks / come off it much less neat." the idyllic-sounding swan creek becomes ironically filthy. the grim detailsthe bloodsucker sores on turtles and mossy filthy feethighlight roethkes playful realism, revealing the less picturesque truth behind an idealized nature. even ducks cannot escape unscathed, adding to the sense of disappointment and humor in how reality rarely aligns with lofty expectations. > "in saginaw, in saginaw, / bartenders think no ill; / but theyve ways of indicating when / you are not acting well: / they throw you through the front plate glass / and then send you the bill." roethke humorously depicts the towns strict, almost absurd norms: bartenders show their disapproval by tossing patrons through the window and charging for the damage. this hyperbolic scene captures saginaws no-nonsense character, where justice is swift, and social decorum is reinforced with rough humor and exaggerated repercussions. > "the morleys and the burrows are / the aristocracy; /  a picture windows one you cant / raise up when you would pee." here, roethke undercuts the notion of aristocracy in saginaw, noting that even the local elite are bound by everyday limitations. the picture windows impracticality for when you would pee humorously mocks the idea of refined status. its an irreverent reminder that so-called elites share the same banal concerns as everyone else, punctuating the absurdity of small-town pretensions.
United States