Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Song for Making the Birds Come" by Stephen Dobyns is a delicate and evocative poem that intertwines themes of renewal, emotional awakening, and the transformative power of art and nature. Through the metaphor of summoning birds with a poem, Dobyns beautifully illustrates the process of emerging from emotional dormancy into a state of renewal and hope.

The poem begins in the aftermath of a metaphorical winter, not just the season but a period of emotional numbness where the speaker feels disconnected, akin to feeling "nothing." The imagery of the brother, the snow, being the "keeper of your heart," powerfully conveys this sense of cold detachment and preservation of the speaker's emotions, locked away during a period of introspective hibernation.

As the first warm day of spring arrives, symbolizing change and renewal, the speaker ventures out into a landscape that is transitioning from winter to spring. The presence of mud and remaining snow signifies the messy, often challenging process of change and growth. This setting serves as the backdrop for a transformative act—the reading of a poem aloud to the sky, an invocation to the natural world that bridges the divide between internal experience and external expression.

The response to the speaker's voice is the arrival of birds, each symbolizing different emotional states and qualities. The sequence in which the birds appear—starting with the "dark ones: birds of anger, birds of despair" and gradually moving towards the "wren of friendship and the gray dove of hope"—mirrors the emotional journey from darkness towards light, despair towards hope. This procession of birds represents a cathartic release and acknowledgment of varied emotions, allowing the speaker to confront and release pent-up feelings.

The climax of the poem occurs as more birds arrive, each associated with positive qualities such as "patience, joy and love's own red bird." The imagery of birds filling the air, "twisting and diving in great circles around" the speaker, suggests a celebration of life and emotion, a dynamic and vibrant reclaiming of the heart's capacity to feel. The confluence of poem and song, where "poem and song become the same sound blending together under the warm March sun," symbolizes the harmony between the speaker's inner world and the external natural world, reinforcing the idea that expressing one's innermost thoughts can lead to a profound connection with the universe.

The conclusion of the poem, with the heart described as "a great tree beginning to bud" and birds carefully descending to make their nests, beautifully encapsulates the theme of renewal. The heart, once frozen and guarded, is now vibrant and inviting, ready to support new life and new beginnings. The birds, representatives of the emotions and qualities summoned by the poem, find a home in this rejuvenated heart, symbolizing the integration of these aspects into the speaker's life.

"Song for Making the Birds Come" is a poetic meditation on the healing power of nature and expression. Dobyns uses the arrival of spring and the reading of a poem as metaphors for thawing the frozen emotional landscape of the heart, demonstrating how engagement with art and the natural world can lead to emotional rebirth and a renewed sense of connection with oneself and the environment.

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