Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Jane Kenyon’s poem “The Call” captures the intense and disorienting experience of being awakened by a phone call in the early hours, blending the immediacy of the present with the lingering traces of a dream. Through vivid imagery and a reflective tone, Kenyon explores themes of fear, urgency, and the intimate connection between the human and natural worlds.

The poem opens with a jarring transition from sleep to wakefulness: “I lunged out of sleep toward the ringing phone, from a dream in which, carrying plastic bags of her inhalers, I struggled up the icy drive.” This immediate, almost violent movement highlights the urgency of the situation, while the dream imagery—struggling with inhalers up an icy drive—suggests a sense of care and responsibility, possibly for someone who is ill.

Kenyon then shifts to the present moment: “Still startled, I sit up in bed in the dark with my glasses on. The clock's blue spectral glow says 4:13.” The use of “startled” conveys the lingering shock from being abruptly awakened, and the detail of the clock’s “blue spectral glow” adds a haunting, otherworldly quality to the early morning hour. The specificity of 4:13 underscores the precise and unsettling nature of this time, often associated with moments of crisis.

The narrative then transitions to another perspective: “He's speeding now to the nursing home with the clarity that fear alone confers, to see his mother, it may be, for the last time.” This line introduces a sense of urgency and clarity driven by fear, as someone rushes to the nursing home, possibly to witness a final moment with a loved one. The phrase “it may be, for the last time” poignantly captures the uncertainty and gravity of the situation.

Kenyon continues to build the atmosphere by incorporating sensory details: “Rain has fallen all night, and the intimate smells of wet earth press through the screen.” The rain and the smell of wet earth evoke a sense of closeness to nature, grounding the emotional intensity of the moment in the physical world. This connection to nature emphasizes the raw, elemental aspects of human experience.

The poem concludes with a subtle, yet powerful, auditory image: “A sudden stir of air moves the sere late summer leaves, sounding for a moment like still more rain.” This final line blurs the boundary between different sensory experiences—the movement of leaves mimicking the sound of rain—reflecting the confusion and heightened sensitivity that often accompany moments of crisis. The “sere late summer leaves” suggest a transition, echoing the potential finality faced by the person speeding to the nursing home.

In “The Call,” Jane Kenyon masterfully captures the intersection of immediate reality and residual dream, blending the urgency of a potential crisis with the intimate details of the natural world. Through her precise and evocative language, she conveys the profound impact of sudden, late-night disruptions, and the emotional clarity that fear can bring. The poem invites readers to reflect on their own experiences of crisis and the deep connections between human emotions and the environment, offering a poignant meditation on the fragility and intensity of life’s critical moments.

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