Poem interpretation

The poem is by John Ashbery, the notoriously "difficult" and often surreal American poet. I am trying to achieve a more rounded understanding of his work, and while I have my inklings as to the meaning(s) of this piece, I would be grateful for anybody else's also. Thanks.

THE VEGETARIANS

In front of you, long tables leading down to the sun,
A great gesture building. You accept it so as to play with it
And translate when its attention is deflated for the one second
Of eternity. Extreme patience and persistence are required

Yet everybody succeeds at this before being handed
The surprise lunchbox of the rest of his life. But what is
Truly startling is that it all happens modestly in the vein of
True living, and the that too is translated into something

Floating up from it, signals that life flashed, weak but essential
For uncorking the tone, and now lost, recently but forever.
In Zurich everything was pure and purposeful, like the red cars
Swung around the lake on wires, against the sky, then back down

Through the weather. Which resembles what you want to do
No more than black tree trunks do, though you thought of it.
Therefore our legends always come round to seeming legendary,
A path decorated with our comings and goings. Or so I've been told.

 

The idea I get from it initially is that you shouldn't take everything at face value.. look deeper into things otherwise you will be led to a conclusion which is not necessarily as true as everyone makes out.. more for the point stand up for what you believe in, don't be influenced by others just because it feels more comfortable that way.

 

Seems to be saying to me that we all focus far too much energy on totally irrelevant stuff. There are several clues, but the strongest is this one, "for the one second of eternity". You always think there is more ahead of you than there is. When you are young looking forward, everything seems such a long time. As you get older and look back, its like it was an instant.

Basically its saying, life will pass you by, you're stuffed, live with it.

 

I just get the impression that the bloke has no grip on reality at all

 

Thanks for all your ideas so far!