Introduction to the Poems
Two time-stamped poems are extracted from a book-length sequence that chronicles the human experiences during a factory night shift.
First Poem: Star-Gazing on Break
When we look up at stars on break
we see only stars behind
the exhaled Milky Way
of Bobby’s Golden Virginia,
ways to navigate shift patterns,
nothing seismic or anything approaching
truth; for us stars mean only night shift,
insanity of depth,
the slow individual seconds
during which the dotted starlight
doesn’t burn fast enough.
In this poem, the workers on break observe the stars, but their perspective is limited. The nearest stars are likened to sparks from tobacco, specifically
"the exhaled Milky Way / of Bobby’s Golden Virginia". These sparks symbolize their way of navigating the monotonous shift patterns. The poem emphasizes that for the workers, stars signify only the night shift and the overwhelming depth of their experience, described as an
"insanity of depth". The passage of time is slow and agonizing, with the dotted starlight burning too slowly for those enduring the long hours.
Second Poem: Celebrating Wee Gail
It was wee Gail’s seventieth birthday
last week and she has a special
seat to sit on all shift
and her hands are old at the task,
old at working the tricks that come
with having laboured
and she’s making light work
of sifting defective ring washers
from those within tolerance and
her bench could be a grand piano,
her patch of floor a stage,
and, in another life, it is.
This poem centers on a single worker, "wee Gail," who recently celebrated her seventieth birthday. Although the birthday was last week, the poem situates her in the present, noting that she
"has a special / seat to sit on all shift". This seat may be a gesture of recognition or a practical ergonomic accommodation. The poem highlights Gail’s long experience and skill, describing her hands as
"old at the task"and adept at sorting defective ring washers from those within tolerance. The poet elevates her workbench metaphorically to a grand piano and her workspace to a stage, imagining that in another life, she might have been a performer. This romantic vision is tempered by realism but conveys genuine admiration and affirmation.
Context and Themes
Matthew Rice’s plastic is a book-length poem cycle that uses time-stamped titles to immerse readers in the experience of a 12-hour factory night shift. The poems explore the tension between the regimented, machine-driven production line and the workers’ inner lives, including their thoughts on cinema, music, literature, and empathy for one another. Each poem captures a moment of perception, seeking freedom from the constraints imposed by the time-stamp and socio-economic conditions.
The two selected poems, separated by over four hours and more than 20 poems, differ in tone and structure but both reveal the frustration of individual and collective potential due to their social position.
Analysis of the Star-Gazing Poem
The workers’ star-gazing during their break is depicted from a limited, immediate viewpoint. The stars are reduced to tobacco sparks, and the Milky Way becomes a metaphor for navigating shift patterns. Intellectual or imaginative speculation is suppressed by the factory’s rigid routine, which the workers have internalized. The speaker acknowledges this limitation while recognizing the power of possibility. The phrase
"insanity of depth"captures the dizzying risk of free-spirited mental exploration. The workers are portrayed as conspirators against visions, grounded in despairing realism. Despite the poem’s insistence on
"nothing seismic or anything approaching / truth,"it admits that this denial falls short of the full human depth. The stars, distant and slow, mark time like a digital clock but at a much slower pace, contrasting with the fleeting sparks from
"Bobby’s Golden Virginia."
Analysis of the Poem about Wee Gail
The poem about Gail focuses on her long tenure and skill at the factory. Although she recently turned seventy, she continues to work, occupying a special seat throughout her shift. This seat may be a sign of respect or a practical necessity. The poem uses a line of monosyllables to emphasize the monotony of her service
"in the same place for so long,"but then shifts to highlight her efficiency and expertise in sorting defective parts. The poet imagines her bench as a grand piano and her workspace as a stage, suggesting an alternate life where she might be a musician. This vision, while tempered by realism, expresses genuine admiration and affirmation.
Philosophical and Social Reflections
In an endnote, Rice acknowledges the influence of Jacques Rancière’s 1830 book, which envisions socialism as a desire and potential for workers to achieve freedom from their labor. Rice’s poems address the mental and physical toll of repetitive work and reflect his concern as a poet about the suppressed creative potential in others. The poem about Gail is a poignant expression of this vision.
With the rise of AI and automation, including replacement of human workers by robots even in white-collar roles, the ideal of freedom for self-fulfillment appears closer. However, questions remain about how such freedom will be distributed and institutionalized. Meanwhile, Rice’s poems both honor and transcend their traditional factory setting, reminding readers of the potential gains in the emerging digital era.
