Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

David Wagoner’s "Beginning" captures the primal experience of entering the world, portraying birth as a profound transition from the secure, dark universe of the womb to the overwhelming brightness and chaos of existence. Through its inventive language and sensory-rich imagery, the poem immerses the reader in the perspective of a newborn, offering a visceral and reflective exploration of the human condition at its inception.

The poem opens with the speaker, the newborn, announcing their arrival: "Here am I slippery / Into the world." This tactile description immediately establishes a vivid connection to the physicality of birth. The word "slippery" conveys both the literal texture of a newborn’s body and the metaphorical slipperiness of transitioning into a new, unpredictable reality. The use of first-person narration allows the reader to inhabit this moment, enhancing the intimacy of the experience.

The newborn’s sensory awakening unfolds vividly. The "Sonsmell" that trails in "great clouds" suggests a primal connection to the mother, evoking warmth and safety even as the child emerges into the "brilliant nothing / Of shape and sound." This juxtaposition between the comfort of the past and the bewildering intensity of the present creates a sense of disorientation and longing. The invented term "wailow" fuses "wail" and "wallow," encapsulating the newborn’s instinctive response to this unfamiliar world—a cry of both protest and adaptation.

The poem contrasts the dark, curved, and cyclical nature of the womb with the expansive, fragmented reality of the outside world. The speaker laments leaving "the arched enclosure of me," a place of contained selfhood where time was perceived only through the mother’s body. This universe of connection and fluidity is now replaced by a landscape defined by separation, light, and noise. The newborn’s perspective highlights the profound rupture of birth, a transition from unity to individuality.

As the poem progresses, the newborn confronts the foreignness of their new environment. Objects and sounds are described as intrusive and alien: "the goldrimmed tic-tic, jingle of dimes" and the "rattling hollow" of a rattle. These sensory details emphasize the absurdity and unfamiliarity of the external world. The "comic hand" that forces the newborn to engage with these stimuli underscores the lack of agency the child has in shaping their experience, a reminder of the vulnerability inherent in the beginning of life.

The poem’s plea to time—"O day that straightly comes, / Slow at the filmy crib-top, hover, / Forget to move"—conveys a yearning for stillness and understanding amidst the overwhelming rush of sensations. The newborn seeks to delay the relentless forward march of time, longing to hold onto the fleeting moment of newness and transition. This plea resonates with universal human desires to grasp and make sense of the transient and the ephemeral.

Wagoner’s use of language is particularly striking in "Beginning." The invented words and playful manipulation of syntax mirror the newborn’s attempt to make sense of an unfamiliar world, where everything is fluid and undefined. The free verse structure and lack of regular rhyme or meter reflect the unstructured nature of the newborn’s experience, reinforcing the theme of entering a realm that resists comprehension or order.

At its core, "Beginning" is a meditation on the first encounter with existence, capturing both the wonder and terror of birth. The poem transcends the individual experience of a single newborn, inviting readers to reflect on their own beginnings and the profound shift from unity to individuality. By immersing us in the newborn’s perspective, Wagoner reminds us of the vulnerability, adaptability, and resilience that define the human condition from its very start.

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