Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Morning" by Billy Collins unfolds as an ode to the start of the day, encapsulating the freshness, potential, and quiet beauty that the early hours possess. Through his characteristic conversational tone and accessible imagery, Collins invites readers into a reflective appreciation of morning, casting it as a time of boundless possibility and simple pleasures. This poem, like much of Collins's work, bridges the ordinary with the profound, offering a glimpse into the private world of the speaker while touching on universal themes of time, renewal, and the human experience.

Collins begins the poem with a rhetorical question, "Why do we bother with the rest of the day," immediately setting the stage for an exploration of morning's unparalleled beauty. The "swale of the afternoon" and the "sudden dip into evening" are presented as mere interludes, suggesting a preference for the purity and promise of the morning over the rest of the day's fluctuating moods. This opening establishes a tone of contemplation, inviting readers to reconsider their own perceptions of daily rhythms.

The imagery Collins employs is vivid and grounded in the sensory experiences of the morning. The act of throwing off light covers, feeling the cold floor beneath one's feet, and the invigorating ritual of consuming espresso capture the tactile and immediate pleasures of waking. These actions are not just routine but are imbued with a sense of awakening and readiness to engage with the day. The splash of water on the face and a palmful of vitamins further this motif of rejuvenation and preparation.

Central to the poem is the speaker's interaction with objects that symbolize intellectual and creative engagement: the dictionary and atlas open on the rug, the typewriter awaiting the "key of the head," and the cello playing on the radio. These elements suggest a morning not just of physical awakening but of mental and artistic stimulation. The open dictionary and atlas imply a readiness to explore the world in both literal and metaphorical senses, while the waiting typewriter and the music of the cello hint at the potential for creative output and aesthetic appreciation.

The mention of the windows and the scene they reveal serves as a bridge between the interior world of the speaker and the external environment. The description of the trees and the steaming lawn offers a moment of connection with nature, grounding the speaker's morning rituals in a broader context of life and the passage of time. The trees, "fifty, a hundred years old," stand as silent witnesses to the passage of generations, lending a sense of continuity and depth to the poem's meditation on time. The heavy clouds and steaming lawn, with their implications of change and renewal, mirror the internal renewal the speaker experiences each morning.

Collins's "Morning" is a celebration of the start of the day, marked by personal rituals, intellectual curiosity, and a deep connection to the natural world. It captures the essence of morning as a time of potential, when the mind and body are refreshed and the day lies ahead like a blank page. Through his use of everyday imagery and the infusion of gentle humor, Collins crafts a poem that is both an intimate portrayal of a personal routine and a universal reflection on the beauty of beginning anew. In doing so, he reminds us of the simple joys and the profound possibilities that each morning offers, inviting us to approach the day with a sense of wonder and openness.

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