Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Donald Justice’s "To Waken a Small Person" is a delicate, evocative poem that intertwines the dreamlike imagery of sleep with the urgency of awakening. Through its tender language and subtle layering of metaphors, the poem creates a world where personal and external realities blur, rendering a portrait of a child’s sleep that resonates with both wonder and necessity.

The poem begins with a serene image: the child sleeps "at the top of streets," a vantage point suggesting both literal height and an imaginative distance from the bustling world below. The workmen "wheeling their bicycles" ground the scene in quotidian labor, contrasting with the stillness of sleep. This juxtaposition emphasizes the small person?s detachment from the world’s rhythms, positioning them as an observer—or perhaps a creator—of the reality outside.

Justice likens the child’s closed eyes to "windows / Of some high attic," further reinforcing the sense of elevation and isolation. The attic imagery conveys an intimate space of dreams, private and enclosed, yet with the potential to open onto the outside world. The windows, "shut," heighten the tension between interior and exterior, as rain falls "on the streets of the town" and "through your sleep." The rain becomes a connecting thread, bridging the two realms, suggesting that the child’s dreams are as much about the external world as they are about inner imaginings.

The speaker’s plea to "wake up" introduces a shift from observation to action. The repeated imperatives—"Wake up please open yourself / Like a little umbrella"—convey both urgency and affection. The metaphor of the child as an umbrella is particularly poignant, suggesting their role as a protective, nurturing presence in the world. The speaker implores the child to awaken not just for themselves but for the sake of the world, which "needs" their presence. This sentiment is encapsulated in the striking lines: "Hurry the sidewalks need you / The awnings not one is up." Here, the child’s awakening is portrayed as essential to restoring balance and order, as if their existence completes the world.

The bicycles, "patient" yet "confused," and the "bleeding" colors of traffic lights further underscore the chaos that the child’s sleep seems to perpetuate. These personified elements of the cityscape take on a dreamlike quality, mirroring the child’s own state of semi-consciousness. The speaker’s repeated calls to action—urging the child to address the needs of the rain-soaked, disordered world—add a note of gentle desperation, as though the world’s harmony depends on the child’s participation.

The poem reaches its culmination in the final lines, where the imagery of rainbows in puddles conveys both beauty and fragility. The puddles "cannot contain such rainbows," suggesting an overflow of emotion or imagination that demands release. The rainbows, ephemeral and dependent on light and water, symbolize the fleeting and precious nature of the child’s perspective. To wake is to join the world, to share this unique vision, and to restore the equilibrium disrupted by their absence.

Formally, Justice employs free verse to great effect, with short lines that create a sense of movement and immediacy. The lack of punctuation mirrors the fluidity of dreams and the urgency of the speaker’s appeal, allowing the images to flow seamlessly into one another. This structure reinforces the interconnectedness of the poem’s internal and external worlds, mirroring the child?s role as both dreamer and integral part of the waking world.

To Waken a Small Person is a poem of profound tenderness and quiet insistence. It captures the liminal space between sleep and wakefulness, portraying the act of awakening as both a personal and a universal necessity. Through its rich imagery and heartfelt tone, the poem speaks to the essential, transformative power of presence, reminding readers of the unique and irreplaceable role each individual plays in the fabric of the world.

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