Ghost Tantras

Ghost Tantras is an interesting collection of poems by Michael McClure. In his poetry, he integrates the traditional English language with what seems like a beastly language. This beastly, barbaric sounding language is what sets McClure’s poems apart from any other poet, and makes his writing so unconventional. The beast language is easily distinguishable in his poem. Sometimes it integrated with the English language and other times it is clearly set apart from the English. Furthermore, it seems that McClure intended the poems to be read aloud to gain the full experience of the language. Initially words and “Graaah” sounds of the beast language all look the same; it is not until you actually read it out loud and fully vocalize these sounds until you realize the full potential of the language.

  By including the beast language in his writing, McClure draws emphasis to the animalist qualities that are present within us as humans. One instance where he brings this idea to the reader’s attention is in tantra 49:

SILENCE THE EYES! BECALM THE SENSES! 


Drive drooor from the frcsh repugnance, thou whole,


thou feeling creature. Live not for others but affect thyself


from thy enhanced interior - believing what thou carry. 


Thy trillionic multitude of grahh, vhooshes, and silences. 


Oh you are heavier and dimmer than you know 


and more solid and full of pleasure.


Grahhr! Grahhhr! Ghrahhhrrr! Ghrahhr. Grahhrrr.


Grahhr-grahhhhrr! Grahhr. Gahrahhrr Ghrahhhrrrr. 


Gharrrrr. Ghrahhr! Ghrarrrrr. Ghanrrr. Ghrahhhrr.


Ghrahhrr. Ghrahr. Grahhr. Grahharrr.

Grahhrr. 
Grahhhhr. Grahhhr. Gahar. Ghmhhr. Grahhr.

Grahhr. 
Ghrahhr. Grahhhr. Grahhr. Gratharrr! Grahhr.


Ghrahrr. Ghraaaaaaahrr. Grhar. Ghhrarrr! Grahhrr.


Ghrahrr. Gharr! Ghrahhhhr. Grahhrr. Ghraherrr.

Here he creates a clear distinction between the English and beast language. The first half of the poem is primarily in English while the second part is a without a doubt the beast language. The first half of the poem, in a way, prepares the reader for the intense beast language.  He writes, “Oh you are heavier and dimmer than you know 
and more solid and full of pleasure.” McClure encourages the realization of the potential within us and says that we are stronger and greater than we may think. He stresses the reader to recognize the full potential that lies in the beastly nature of ones self. After this, he dives into the powerful beastly screams.

Along with the context of the poem, McClure also manipulates the form of the poem to show how the beast language resides inside of us. The beastly scream serves as an emotional center that lets out a particular energy. McClure suggests that the beast language is a way to express and release emotions from our bodies; screaming in this beastly language is a sort of cleansing for our minds and bodies. In tantra 49, we see subtle instances of the beast language appearing the first half of the poem. By this, he insinuates that despite, how hard we try to suppress the annalistic characteristics inside of us, they are always present and tend to sneak up and appear; at times, we have no control over it.