Defiance of Expectation
In his religious poems, Jarman appears intent upon defying his reader's expectations. He is drawn to the paradoxical and unpredictable elements of the Christian religion. For example, in "Transfiguration" he writes about how Jesus was receiving all kinds of expectations from the people around him. Everyone held some opinion of who he was or who he should be. When Jesus heard God speak, he understood that he had a purpose which defied all of these expectations being placed upon him. He learned to think somehow beyond the confines of his very self in order to transcend suffering and unlock godhood. This is a confusing passage, even in the text of the poem, but Jarman writes from the perspective of wonder, weaving a poem of mystery and contradiction which hones in upon the inexplicable element of Christ's physical transformation. It's at once personal and impersonal.
The Engagement of the Sense in Memory
Jarman writes a great deal about his teenage years because they appear to have profoundly influenced how he shaped his personality in later years. In these recollections, he links every memory with vivid descriptions of the physical sense. The temperature of the air, the pain of a scraped knee, the color of the waves, and more descriptors place the reader in the experience of these memories. For Jarman the engagement of his senses was the impact of those moments, in a sense. These sensory ties also serve to help Jarman recollect his past experiences better. In "The Supremes" he links an entire summer to the music of The Supremes because Diana Ross' voice can bring him back to that summer so effectively every time.
Doubting Self-Worth
In subtle ways, Jarman alludes to his own struggles with self-worth, dating back to high school. The concept reappears in most of his poems. "Transfiguration" depicts Jesus as a lonely figure constantly fighting through what other people say about him to arrive at his own purpose, needing to filter out other people's opinions of his value. Although not named specifically, Jarman writes "Descriptions of Heaven and Hell" in the first person, showing the narrator convinced that he has entered hell only to be persuaded after checking the sincerity with which his "father" -- presumably God -- laughs at this conclusion.
In a much more personal way, Jarman addresses his struggle for self-worth in "Ground Swell" and "The Supremes." He attributes the first time the battle tipped in his favor to an incident while surfing, in "Ground Swell." An older boy from his church runs into him while surfing and greets him by name, causing Jarman to realize that he is somebody worth noticing. He needs to cut himself some slack. Then again in "The Supremes" he makes a few comments about identity preventing him and his buddies from having any legitimate right to connect with the music of Diana Ross so closely.
