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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

GOING OUT FOR CIGARETTES, by             Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography

"Going Out for Cigarettes" by Billy Collins explores the trope of departure and the quest for self-discovery through the metaphor of a man who leaves his home under the pretense of buying cigarettes and never returns. This narrative, as familiar as a folktale, delves into themes of escape, freedom, and the contemplation of one's place in the universe. Collins uses this seemingly simple story to reflect on the broader human desire to break free from the constraints of daily life and to seek solace in solitude and introspection.

The poem begins by likening the story to that of "the three little pigs," instantly framing it within the context of well-known tales that are ingrained in cultural memory. However, instead of focusing on the consequences of the man's departure for those he leaves behind, Collins shifts the perspective to follow the man on his journey. This journey is not just a physical trek beyond the familiar boundaries of city and suburb but also a metaphysical voyage into the unknown realms of existence.

Collins employs vivid imagery and metaphors to illustrate the man's journey. The comparison of his departure to "a line from Euclid’s notebooks" suggests a movement towards infinity, an endless path that defies the confines of geometry and reason. The smoke from the cigarettes creates a literal and figurative screen, a means of obscuring and distancing himself from his previous life and its responsibilities. The smoke also serves to "calm the bees within," indicating a search for inner peace and quietude amidst the chaos of existence.

As the man ventures "into a realm no larger than his own hat size," Collins captures the paradox of the infinite within the finite, the boundless within the bounded. The journey transforms the man into a perpetual motion, "a solo for piano that never comes to an end," and "a small plane that keeps flying away from the earth." These images evoke a sense of eternal questing, a never-ending exploration of the self and the world.

The poem's conclusion, with the man finally resting "on a riverbank above the long, inquisitive wriggling of that line," suggests a moment of arrival not at a destination but at a state of being. Here, in the "quiet picnic of consciousness," the man finds a semblance of contentment in the simple act of smoking a cigarette, his attention captured by the natural beauty of a stone bridge and its reflection in the water. This moment of tranquility and acute awareness of the present encapsulates the essence of the journey—the search for a place where one can be at peace with oneself and the world.

"Going Out for Cigarettes" transcends its narrative to ponder the existential wanderings that define the human condition. Through the figure of the man who leaves everything behind, Collins invites readers to reflect on their own desires for escape and understanding, and the universal quest for meaning in a seemingly boundless existence. The poem elegantly bridges the gap between the physical act of departure and the metaphysical journey into the self, offering a meditative exploration of freedom, solitude, and the eternal search for inner peace.


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