Buffer

Question

Hi,

What are the possible meanings of "buffer" in the stanza below by Harryette Mullen? I am not sure, but, at first, I thought it refers to (male or female) genitalia. Does it make sense?

Thank you, Laumont.

"intimidates intimates

polishing naked cactus

down below a bitter buffer

inferno never froze over"

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

I have no idea. Your guess is as good as mine.

I don't see a sexual reference, although I can usually see one in most things. ha-ha.

I do note that the words 'bitter buffer' have similarities of sound, and are easy and rather fun to say aloud together. Possibly, for a poet, that is sometimes enough?

Best wishes, Clive

PS Or maybe a 'buffer' is someone who buffs, ie polishes. So perhaps it may be sexual after all.

There, I found such a reference after all. Just a bit slow today.

Cwtch · Answer

Poetry may or may not have an explicit meaning. Sometimes, poems are word 'paintings' that evoke different imagery for each reader. Taking that into account, let's look at buff and some of the surrounding words.

Buff and/or buffer have many meanings, including: nude, someone who buffs, a barrier (an electrical buffer of a zoning buffer), to lessen shock or surprise.

Bitter also has many meanings: one of the four basic tastes, sadness, suffering severe pain or sadness (bitter cold).

Above, we already have naked and polishing and below inferno and froze.

So, the image I get is someone naked and in pain polishing cacti below a volcano. But , I always got my lowest grades in English class on poetry reading.

Buffer

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