Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Osso Buco" by Billy Collins is an evocative celebration of the simple pleasures in life, a lyrical acknowledgment of contentment and sensory delight. Through the rich imagery of a meal, Collins crafts a narrative that extends beyond the dining table, exploring themes of satisfaction, the human connection to nature, and the contrasting states of human existence. This poem, with its intimate gaze into a moment of fulfillment, contrasts sharply with the traditional themes of longing and deprivation often found in poetry.

The poem begins with the speaker's appreciation for the sight and sound of bone against plate, a detail that sets the stage for a meditation on the pleasures derived from food. The "fortress-like" appearance of the osso buco, surrounded by a "moat of risotto," conjures images of opulence and protection, suggesting that the meal is not just nourishment but a bastion against the world's harshness. The description of the meat as "soft as the leg of an angel" elevates the dining experience to something celestial, transcending the ordinary act of eating.

Collins's focus on the "secret marrow" and the act of prising it out and consuming it with wine touches on themes of discovery and the intimate connection between humans and the animals we consume. This act, described with reverence, symbolizes a deeper engagement with life's essence, an acknowledgment of the cycle of life and death that sustains human existence.

As the poem unfolds, the speaker reflects on the state of being satiated, a condition seldom celebrated in poetry, which often gravitates towards themes of hunger, longing, and lack. Collins challenges this convention, presenting contentment as a worthy subject of poetic exploration. The "lion of contentment" that rests upon the speaker's chest is a powerful image of peace and fulfillment, a counterpoint to the restless pursuit often depicted in literature and life.

The poem then expands its focus, contrasting the speaker's contented state with the broader human experience of struggle and deprivation. References to an Irish penitent and people "staring at one another across a long, empty table" evoke images of suffering and division, highlighting the disparity between the speaker's moment of joy and the world's vastness of woe.

Despite these acknowledgments of suffering, the poem maintains its celebration of the present moment, illuminated by candlelight—a light that has historically enabled creativity and connection. This light, which once lit the faces of historical figures, now plays on the remnants of the meal, linking the speaker's experience to a continuum of human endeavor and reflection.

The closing stanzas of the poem delve into the intimacy and routine of domestic life, with the speaker and his wife moving from dinner to bed, a transition that mirrors the descent from consciousness to the depths of sleep and dreams. This journey is metaphorically aligned with a movement towards the "dark, soundless bottom" of existence, suggesting that beneath the layers of human experience—hunger, pleasure, and the everyday lies the fundamental essence of our being, akin to the marrow within the bones of the earth.

"Osso Buco" is a testament to Billy Collins's ability to find profound meaning in the mundane, inviting readers to appreciate the richness of the present and the depth of ordinary pleasures. Through the lens of a shared meal, Collins explores themes of fulfillment, the cyclic nature of life, and the interconnectedness of all things, offering a poignant reminder of the beauty and complexity of the human condition.

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