Proust’s Madeleine By Kenneth Rexroth - Giggle Poems

Original Poem：

Somebody has given my
Baby daughter a box of
Old poker chips to play with.
Today she hands me one while
I am sitting with my tired
Brain at my desk. It is red.
On it is a picture of
An elk’s head and the letters
B.P.O.E.—a chip from
A small town Elks’ Club. I flip
It idly in the air and
Catch it and do a coin trick
To amuse my little girl.
Suddenly everything slips aside.
I see my father
Doing the very same thing,
Whistling “Beautiful Dreamer,”
His breath smelling richly
Of whiskey and cigars. I can
Hear him coming home drunk
From the Elks’ Club in Elkhart
Indiana, bumping the
Chairs in the dark. I can see
Him dying of cirrhosis
Of the liver and stomach
Ulcers and pneumonia,
Or, as he said on his deathbed, of
Crooked cards and straight whiskey,
Slow horses and fast women.</p>

Poem Explanation and Interpretation

This poignant poem captures a deeply personal moment between a father and his child, using the simple image of a poker chip as a powerful symbol. The speaker’s baby daughter is given a box of old poker chips to play with, and when she hands one to her father, it triggers a vivid memory. The red chip, marked with an elk’s head and the letters B.P.O.E. (Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks), connects the speaker to his father and the small town Elks’ Club.

The act of flipping the chip and performing a coin trick to entertain his daughter suddenly transports the speaker back in time. He sees his father doing the same thing, whistling the song “Beautiful Dreamer”, with the smell of whiskey and cigars lingering in the air. The memory is bittersweet: it recalls the father’s drunken return from the Elks’ Club in Elkhart, Indiana, and ultimately his tragic decline due to cirrhosis of the liver, stomach ulcers, and pneumonia. The father’s own words on his deathbed—“Crooked cards and straight whiskey, slow horses and fast women”—reflect a life marked by vice, regret, and hardship.

The poem explores themes of memory, family legacy, and the complex emotions tied to a parent’s flaws and mortality. The poker chip becomes a tangible link between past and present, childhood innocence and adult sorrow.

Background and Author Introduction

This poem likely comes from a contemporary American poet who draws on personal and familial experiences to explore universal themes. The reference to the Elks’ Club, a fraternal organization common in many small American towns, grounds the poem in a specific cultural and geographical context—Elkhart, Indiana. The Elks’ Club often represents social camaraderie but also, in this poem, a place associated with the father’s drinking and eventual decline.

The author uses simple, direct language to evoke complex emotions, making the poem accessible yet deeply moving. The interplay between the child’s innocence and the father’s troubled past creates a powerful contrast that resonates with many readers who have experienced complicated family relationships.

Reflections and Insights

Reading this poem invites us to reflect on how small objects—like a poker chip—can carry heavy emotional weight and memories. It also reminds us of the ways children can unknowingly connect us to our past and prompt us to confront difficult truths about our families.

The poem encourages empathy and understanding, showing that behind every family story are human struggles and love. It also highlights the impact of addiction and illness on families, urging compassion for those affected.

Learning Points for Children and Students

Students can learn several valuable lessons from this poem:

• Symbolism: How everyday objects can symbolize deeper meanings and memories.
• Imagery: The vivid sensory details (smell of whiskey, sound of whistling) help readers experience the scene.
• Themes: Family relationships, memory, loss, and the complexity of human flaws.
• Emotional intelligence: Understanding mixed feelings toward loved ones who may have struggled.
• Cultural context: Introduction to American fraternal organizations like the Elks’ Club and their social role.

Practical Applications

• In writing: Students can practice using symbols to convey emotions in their own poems or stories.
• In life: Recognizing that people’s actions often have deeper stories behind them can foster empathy.
• In history/social studies: Exploring the role of clubs like the Elks’ in American community life.
• In health education: Discussing the dangers of alcoholism and related illnesses sensitively.

Reading Comprehension Exercises

1. What object does the baby daughter give to the speaker, and what is its significance?
2. Describe the memory that the poker chip triggers for the speaker.
3. What does the abbreviation B.P.O.E. stand for, and why is it important in the poem?
4. How does the poem portray the speaker’s father? List two details that show his struggles.
5. What is the meaning of the father’s deathbed words: “Crooked cards and straight whiskey, slow horses and fast women”?
6. Identify two themes present in the poem.
7. How does the poet use sensory details to make the memory vivid?
8. What lesson can children learn about family relationships from this poem?

Answer Key

1. The baby daughter gives the speaker an old poker chip. It is significant because it connects the speaker to memories of his father and the Elks’ Club.
2. The poker chip triggers a memory of the speaker’s father flipping chips, whistling, and coming home drunk from the Elks’ Club.
3. B.P.O.E. stands for Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, a fraternal organization. It is important because it links the poker chip to the father’s social life and struggles.
4. The poem portrays the father as a flawed man who struggled with alcoholism and illness. Two details are the smell of whiskey and cigars and his death from cirrhosis and pneumonia.
5. The father’s words suggest a life of bad luck and poor choices involving gambling, drinking, and risky behavior.
6. Two themes are memory/family legacy and the impact of addiction.
7. The poet uses sensory details like the smell of whiskey and cigars and the sound of whistling “Beautiful Dreamer” to create a vivid memory.
8. Children can learn that family members may have struggles, and it is important to understand and empathize with them.

This poem offers a rich opportunity for students to explore literary devices, emotional depth, and cultural context, making it a valuable piece for both literary study and personal reflection.