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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
"Love" by Billy Collins captures a moment of quiet, profound affection witnessed on a train, offering a glimpse into the subtle, yet powerful, dynamics of human connection and admiration. Through careful observation and vivid imagery, Collins paints a scene that transcends the ordinary, elevating a simple act of assistance into a moment of almost divine significance. The poem begins with a young boy, tense and anticipatory, looking back repeatedly, setting a scene of expectation. This anticipation is fulfilled by the entrance of a young woman carrying a cello case, an object that immediately sets her apart and imbues her with an aura of grace and mystery. Her appearance as an "angel" with a "high forehead and somber eyes" and her hair tied up "with a black bow" adds to her ethereal presence, contrasting with the boy's awkward happiness and grounding the scene in the palpable dynamics of young love or deep admiration. Collins's focus on the cello case as "the unmistakable shape" not only highlights the woman's artistic identity but also suggests the weight and beauty of the talent she carries, both literally and metaphorically. The cello, with its deep, resonant sound, serves as a symbol of emotional depth and complexity, mirroring the profound feelings the boy harbors for the girl. The turning point of the poem occurs when the woman lifts the cello onto the overhead rack, a simple action that Collins imbues with significant emotional weight. The boy's gaze, likened to that of saints looking up at God, elevates this act to a moment of revelation or epiphany. This comparison to religious art suggests a moment of transcendence, where the act of helping to lift a cello transforms into an act of worship, revealing the depth of the boy's admiration and affection for the girl. Collins's choice to narrate this observation on the back of a manila envelope emphasizes the spontaneity and urgency of capturing this fleeting moment of beauty and connection. It suggests that moments of love and admiration can strike us at any time, compelling us to record and remember them, even in the most mundane circumstances. "Love" delicately explores the themes of admiration, the beauty of the everyday, and the sacredness found in simple acts of kindness and support. Through the lens of a quiet encounter on a train, Collins invites readers to appreciate the moments of genuine human connection that can elevate the ordinary to the extraordinary, reminding us of the capacity for love and reverence that lies within the simplest gestures.
| Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BURIED LADY by PAUL VALERY VENICE; SONNET by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW ITYLUS by ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE TRAILING ARBUTUS by HENRY ABBEY LISTENING by KATHARINE LEE BATES AURORA LEIGH: BOOK 1 by ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING |
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