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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

BIRDS WAKING, by             Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography

William Stanley Merwin’s poem “Birds Waking” is a vivid and dynamic portrayal of the natural world's awakening and a contemplation on the nature of endings. Merwin’s use of rich imagery and energetic language captures the essence of dawn and the exuberant activity of birds as they greet the new day, while simultaneously reflecting on the potential for a similarly vibrant conclusion to human existence. The poem explores themes of renewal, joy, and the juxtaposition of natural and human worlds, drawing readers into a moment of profound beauty and existential reflection.

The poem opens with the speaker’s early morning excursion to Primrose Hill, setting the scene in April with “a white haze over the hills of Surrey.” This initial image conveys a sense of tranquility and subtle anticipation. The contrast between the “white haze” and the “dark green / Of the park trees” highlights the gradual emergence of light, symbolizing the transition from night to day. The “light came up clear— / The sky like deep porcelain, paling and paling,” creates a serene and almost ethereal atmosphere, capturing the delicate and gradual illumination of the sky.

Merwin’s description of the city at dawn, “with everywhere under it the faces of the buildings / Where the city slept, gleaming white and quiet,” evokes a sense of calm and stillness. The mention of St. Paul’s and the water tower “taking the gentle gold” illustrates how the light of dawn gently touches and transforms the urban landscape, imbuing it with a sense of sacredness and tranquility.

The tranquility is soon disrupted by the “clamor” of birds waking, their songs rising “such uncontainable tempest of whirled / Singing fung upward and upward into the new light.” This description conveys a sense of overwhelming energy and exuberance, as the birds' songs fill the air with a powerful, chaotic beauty. The imagery of birds as “flakes and water-spouts and hurled seas and continents” suggests an immense and unstoppable force, emphasizing the sheer volume and intensity of their collective voices.

The poem’s intensity reaches a peak with the description of a single bird breaking from the cloud but never from the song, “dinning his deafening note” past the speaker’s ear. This moment captures the individual within the collective, highlighting the powerful, almost overwhelming presence of the birds' songs. The speaker reflects on this moment of pure, unrestrained joy, describing it as “the wind / Of joy” that is “so shrill, so unanswerable.”

In the final section of the poem, Merwin shifts from the natural to the existential, contemplating the nature of endings. The speaker addresses a “Voice,” expressing a desire for a vibrant, dynamic end to human existence, similar to the birds' exuberant awakening. The lines “There are many ways we may end, and one we must, / Whether burning, or utter cold descending in darkness, / Explosion of our own devising, collision of planets, all / Violent, however silent they at last may seem—” present various apocalyptic scenarios, each characterized by violence and finality.

The speaker’s plea, “Oh let it be by this violence, then, let it be now, / Now when in their sleep, unhearing, unknowing, / Most faces must be closest to innocence,” suggests a longing for an ending that is both immediate and filled with the same passionate energy as the birds’ songs. The poem concludes with the wish that the world might end “Just with the bursting roar and uprush of song,” mirroring the birds’ joyful clamor and emphasizing a desire for a final, ecstatic celebration of life.

“Birds Waking” masterfully intertwines the natural world with existential contemplation, using vivid imagery and dynamic language to capture the beauty and intensity of dawn. Merwin’s exploration of themes of renewal, joy, and the nature of endings invites readers to reflect on the powerful, often overwhelming forces of nature and the human desire for a meaningful, vibrant conclusion to existence. Through its evocative and energetic portrayal of birds greeting the dawn, the poem offers a profound meditation on life, joy, and the inevitable end that awaits us all.


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