Video Blues

Popular 1940s and 1950s actresses Myrna Loy, Carole Lombard, Paulette Goddard, and Jean Arthur are central figures in the poem. Though she wrote the poem in the 1990s, Salter intentionally references classic Hollywood actresses from the past to symbolize the romanticization, fondness, and nostalgia many people feel toward this era in American history and the past in general.

Myrna Loy, one of the central figures referenced in the poem, was known for her ability to adapt her acting ability to match her partner’s style. Loy functions as a foil for the speaker, as she is unable to embody Loy’s flexibility and agility and match her husband’s interests. On the other hand, Carole Lombard, Paulette Goddard, and Jean Arthur were all known for their beauty but also for their wit and humor, two qualities that the speaker does demonstrate having throughout the poem. Distilling this era down to iconic actresses represents how the husband is longing for a bygone time in ways that the speaker is unable to fulfill, yet his attraction to women known for their comedic prowess may also suggest a desire to connect with his wife on some level, even if vicariously through inaccessible actresses.