Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Paris" by Billy Collins unfurls as a vivid narrative poem that captures the essence of a morning routine in an apartment in Paris, but it reaches far beyond the simplicity of daily rituals to explore themes of anticipation, observation, and the intersection of the mundane with the profound. Through Collins's detailed imagery and reflective tone, the poem invites readers into a personal experience that resonates with universal emotions and thoughts, particularly those related to the anticipation of the day's possibilities and the beauty of ordinary moments.

The poem opens with the speaker describing the view from the bathroom of his temporary Parisian apartment, looking out onto a modest garden in an air shaft. This setting, with its barely sprouting trees, ivy, and unused furniture, sets a scene of neglected beauty, suggesting a hidden life within the city's bustling environment. The morning ritual of soaking in the tub while being scolded by a noisy bird introduces a playful, yet intimate, interaction between the speaker and the natural world, even in the midst of urban confinement.

Collins masterfully uses the bird's "French bird-talk" as a metaphor for the foreignness and the vibrant life of the city that awaits beyond the apartment walls. This interaction, though seemingly trivial, serves as a catalyst for the speaker's contemplation of the day ahead, blending the prosaic task of choosing a shirt with the anticipation of exploring the city's cultural offerings.

As the poem progresses, the speaker's reflections transition from the immediate surroundings of the apartment to the broader canvas of Paris. The mention of zine-covered bars, the Herald-Tribune, and strong coffee captures the quintessential Parisian experience of intellectual and social engagement. The departure of the bird and the sounds of the city signal the beginning of the day's adventures, prompting the speaker to consider the myriad possibilities that lie ahead.

Collins then delves into the speaker's internal landscape, where each decision—such as which way to turn upon leaving the apartment—becomes a choice laden with potential for discovery and connection. The speaker's anticipation of encountering art, whether the familiar beauty of reclining nudes and landscapes or the surprise of something as simple yet profound as a single stalk of asparagus, reflects a deep engagement with the world and a hunger for the new and the unexpected.

The poem concludes with the speaker, now dressed and ready, embracing the day with a sense of readiness to "cheer the boats of the beautiful, the boats of the strange." This metaphor extends the poem's exploration of anticipation and openness to the experiences of the day, likening them to boats floating down a river, each carrying its own story and mystery.

"Paris" is a celebration of the potential held in the start of a new day, especially when one is in a city as rich in history, culture, and beauty as Paris. Billy Collins's ability to find depth in the simplicity of a morning routine, to transform the act of drying oneself with a towel into a moment of profound contemplation, showcases his skill in bridging the everyday with the extraordinary. The poem invites readers to consider their own routines and the unexamined beauty that lies within them, urging an openness to the unexpected joys and discoveries that life offers.

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