Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Deathbeds" by Billy Collins presents a reflective and encompassing exploration of the various ways humanity has approached the final moments of life across cultures and epochs. Through a series of vivid vignettes, Collins traverses history and geography to sketch a rich tapestry of deathbed scenes, encapsulating the rituals, beliefs, and personal desires that have accompanied the act of dying. This journey not only highlights the diversity of human approaches to death but also underscores the shared existential contemplation that this inevitable event evokes.

The poem begins with the ancients, who faced death with a discourse ready for the myriad spiritual entities believed to guide them into the afterlife. Collins's mention of "the gods of departure," "ferrymen leaning on their dark oars," and other figures of mythological transportation vividly brings to life the complex cosmologies that framed the ancients' understanding of death, illustrating a world where the passage from life to death was a journey necessitating divine assistance and ritual communication.

Transitioning from the ancients to the Japanese monks, Collins touches upon the tradition of jisei, or death poems, which reflects a poignant, artistic response to the proximity of death. The act of leaving behind "a short poem, a drop of rain on a yellow leaf" is presented as a final, serene assertion of beauty and contemplation, a way to encapsulate a lifetime's experience or the fleeting beauty of the world in a few, carefully chosen words.

The poem then shifts to Medieval Christians, who turned to texts like "De Arte Moriendi" for guidance on preparing the soul for death. This practice underscores the era's emphasis on the spiritual readiness and the meticulous planning that went into facing one's final moments with dignity and piety, suggesting a highly structured approach to the art of dying.

Moving through time, Collins portrays the Victorians' fascination with the aesthetics of death, including the macabre yet intimate act of capturing one's final visage through photography. This moment in the poem highlights the changing perceptions of death, from a spiritual passage to an event imbued with personal and societal significance, observed and memorialized in new ways.

Collins also nods to the wits who used their deathbeds as stages for a final act of defiance or humor, leaving the world with a memorable line. This depiction suggests an approach to death that embraces the absurdity of life and the desire to imprint one's character indelibly upon the memories of the living.

The poem concludes with a personal reflection on the speaker's own desired deathbed scenario, stripped of the elaborate rituals and cultural accouterments of the past. Collins yearns for simplicity and awareness, a desire to be attuned to the smallest details of existence—"the pea under my mattress" and "the dot of a hawk lost in the blue"—in his final moments. This yearning for a clear, unencumbered departure reflects a modern sensibility towards death, one that values personal experience and a direct engagement with the reality of one's mortality.

"Deathbeds" serves as a contemplative journey through the ways in which humans have sought to give meaning and dignity to the act of dying. Billy Collins masterfully weaves together historical and cultural threads to illustrate the varied tapestries of deathbed practices, ultimately revealing the common thread of humanity's quest for understanding, beauty, and a meaningful farewell to life.

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