Pinnapa Phetcharatana

IB English A1 HL
September 8, 2009

Poetry Commentary: “Poor Boy: Portrait of a Painting”

“Poor Boy: Portrait of a Painting,” by John Ash, is a poem that creatively

outlines the perspective of the speaker regarding the image shown in Henry
Wallis’ painting, “Chatterton.” In this poem, the speaker regards a supposedly
dead boy as a mere mindless teenager who takes away his own life for immature
and absurd reasons. Because of this, Ash draws the focal point of the poem to
the discrete setting filled with subtle details rather than to what is obvious.
The use of a relaxed and conversational tone helps to imply that the
speaker perceives the scenario in a calm and simplistic manner. The poem’s lack
of rhyme scheme, structure, and meter serves to underline the natural flow of the
unselfconscious speaker’s voice. Thus each stanza appears completely
spontaneous. This is shown in the sudden change of tone between stanzas two
and three: “A misunderstanding about what the word maturity can mean when
exchange among ‘real’ adults…I don’t know what kind of plant that is… (Lines 4,
5)” As shown, Ash makes no effort to surprise his readers; he simply writes in
such a way that it seems the speaker is reciting an impromptu off the top of his
head.
Through observing language and attitude, readers are able to recognize
the speaker’s appreciation of the stream of light. Ash does not initially mention
light, for the speaker must first build the mood by achieving the exposition
through descriptions of the roof and window, creating a crescendo towards
stanza eight where the light is introduced in grandeur as ‘inevitable,’ followed by,
“…the light is art!” This specifically allows readers to note the importance of the
light, and that the speaker perceives it as a divine and magnificent force.
Consequently, the admiration of the light shown by the speaker highlights the
contrast of his neglect for the boy.
As the poem is called “Poor Boy: Portrait of a Painting,” the reader is
forced to consider the deeper truth that this title holds. It is possible that Ash uses
the word “poor” to express his pity for the boy, but perhaps it is also a display of
spitefulness, since the speaker initially calls the boy young, arrogant, and
impatient in Line 2. Moreover, this is illustrated in stanza eight, when the speaker
mentions “torn-up sheets of poems or pornography.” It is known that poetry often
represents elegance and appeal, whereas pornography is a sign of vulgarity and
immaturity. However the p-alliteration makes it seem almost as if the two
contradictory objects are no different from each other. Thus the speaker wishes
to remind us of the young boy’s adolescence.
Ash achieves the poem’s climax in the last stanza, leaving his readers
with no further resolution. “There is nowhere he can hide the hand that rests just
above his stomach as if he still felt horribly ill. (Lines 32, 33)” The phrase
“horribly ill” is an understatement of the boy’s death. Rather than coming into a
clean close, Ash uses this effective technique that leaves readers hanging with
an odd and peculiar feeling.
With little effort, John Ash is able to verbally illustrate a colorless scene
from Chatterton using simple but expressive words. What distinguishes “Poor
Boy” from other poems is how Ash draws the spotlight to the muted details of a
certain situation, leading readers to become more interested in the real matter.
Undoubtedly, “Poor Boy” truly reflects Ash’s ability to innovatively pull out the
beauty of a somber moment through powerful and thorough descriptions.