Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In James Dickey’s poem "Bums, on Waking," the author explores the transient, often overlooked experiences of the homeless with a profound and poetic sensitivity. The poem delves into the liminal state between sleeping and waking, weaving a narrative that reflects on hope, disillusionment, and the fleeting moments of transcendence found in the lives of those marginalized by society.

The poem opens by challenging the stereotypical image of homelessness, describing bums not always waking in the harsh conditions of a gutter but in varying states of being. Dickey emphasizes the significance of awakening, the "opening of the eye," and the physical form of the body "lying as it has fallen." These images underline the humanity of these individuals, often stripped of dignity in public perception.

Dickey's language imbues a sense of fragile dignity with phrases like "disdainfully crumpling earthward / Out of alcohol." The description captures both the physical collapse due to drunkenness and a sort of graceful resignation to their fate. This duality continues with the metaphor of children sleeping toward Christmas, adding a layer of innocence and expectation to the bums’ existence, contrasting their harsh realities with moments of childlike hope and anticipation.

As the poem progresses, Dickey portrays the bums' awakening in different scenarios, each carrying its symbolic weight. Their common morning might find them "staring / Through glass in the rich part of town," observing life-sized wax figures in shop windows, which are described in a manner that captures a sense of frozen time and artificiality, juxtaposed against the bums' own aimless and unstructured lives.

However, their imagination and hope conjure far more poetic visions: bursting through a hedge into a trampled rose garden, lying next to a breathing bulldog, or awakening in a church at the altar steps. These scenarios reveal a deep yearning for escape from their reality, a desire to find themselves in a place of beauty or sanctity, reflecting an inner need for redemption and sanctification that contrasts sharply with their worldly circumstances.

The vivid imagery of awakening on the altar steps "where candles are opening their eyes / With all-seeing light" and the stained glass casting "sanctified leaves" upon them serves as a powerful metaphor for spiritual awakening and transformation. It suggests a moment of grace and divine presence, a stark contrast to their usual awakenings in less hallowed settings.

Dickey's exploration of what it means to awaken each day with uncertain expectations is poignantly captured in the lines: "Who else has quite the same / Commitment to not being sure / What he shall behold, come from sleep— / A child, a policeman, an effigy?" This rhetorical question highlights the unpredictability of their lives and the constant presence of surprise, whether pleasant or harsh.

The poem closes by returning to the theme of water running over their legs, an image that began as a symbol of destitution but transforms into something "more like living cover than it is." This transformation suggests a redemptive reading of their plight, pointing towards hope and the possibility of renewal, even from the margins of society.

"Bums, on Waking" is a powerful lyrical meditation on the margins of society, weaving despair with beauty, and reality with hopeful fantasy, ultimately portraying the homeless with a dignity that challenges and transcends societal prejudices.

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