FreeVerse: "Snow Day" by Billy Collins
by Jenners • 02/10/2010 • Poetry • 14 Comments
Today I thought it was only fitting to share this poem, entitled “Snow Day,” as we suffer yet another snowy day here. It is funny how when you are a kid, snow days are the greatest thing in the world. Now that I’m (technically) a grown-up, I hate snow days! I need my Little One to go to school! I need my alone time! I need quiet in the house before the Little One comes home and begins his non-stop talking! I don’t want to shovel anymore!
I just “discovered” this poet, Billy Collins, and I really like his stuff. I almost picked his poem “Shoveling Snow with Buddha” but then decided to go with this one because I just fell in love with the line about “the dog will porpoise through the drifts.” Anyway, hope you are either enjoying your snow day or having a lovely weather day in your neck of the woods.
Snow Day
by Billy Collins
Today we woke up to a revolution of snow,
its white flag waving over everything,
the landscape vanished,
not a single mouse to punctuate the blankness,
and beyond these windows the government buildings smothered,
schools and libraries buried,
the post office lost under the noiseless drift,
the paths of trains softly blocked,
the world fallen under this falling.
and step out like someone walking in water,
and the dog will porpoise through the drifts,
and I will shake a laden branch,
sending a cold shower down on us both. But for now I am a willing prisoner in this house,
a sympathizer with the anarchic cause of snow.
I will make a pot of tea
and listen to the plastic radio on the counter,
as glad as anyone to hear the news that the Kiddie Corner School is closed,
the Ding-Dong School, closed,
the All Aboard Children’s School, closed,
the Hi-Ho Nursery School, closed,
along with — some will be delighted to hear – the Toadstool School, the Little School,
Little Sparrows Nursery School,
Little Stars Pre-School, Peas-and-Carrots Day School,
the Tom Thumb Child Center, all closed,
and — clap your hands — the Peanuts Play School. So this is where the children hide all day,
These are the nests where they letter and draw,
where they put on their bright miniature jackets,
all darting and climbing and sliding,
all but the few girls whispering by the fence.
in the grandiose silence of the snow,
trying to hear what those three girls are plotting,
what riot is afoot,
which small queen is about to be brought down.
its white flag waving over everything,
the landscape vanished,
not a single mouse to punctuate the blankness,
and beyond these windows the government buildings smothered,
schools and libraries buried,
the post office lost under the noiseless drift,
the paths of trains softly blocked,
the world fallen under this falling.
In a while I will put on some boots
and step out like someone walking in water,
and the dog will porpoise through the drifts,
and I will shake a laden branch,
sending a cold shower down on us both. But for now I am a willing prisoner in this house,
a sympathizer with the anarchic cause of snow.
I will make a pot of tea
and listen to the plastic radio on the counter,
as glad as anyone to hear the news that the Kiddie Corner School is closed,
the Ding-Dong School, closed,
the All Aboard Children’s School, closed,
the Hi-Ho Nursery School, closed,
along with — some will be delighted to hear – the Toadstool School, the Little School,
Little Sparrows Nursery School,
Little Stars Pre-School, Peas-and-Carrots Day School,
the Tom Thumb Child Center, all closed,
and — clap your hands — the Peanuts Play School. So this is where the children hide all day,
These are the nests where they letter and draw,
where they put on their bright miniature jackets,
all darting and climbing and sliding,
all but the few girls whispering by the fence.
And now I am listening hard
in the grandiose silence of the snow,
trying to hear what those three girls are plotting,
what riot is afoot,
which small queen is about to be brought down.
What is the theme of this poem? It seems like it would be simple and just be the excitement about how children are excited for a snow day but I feel there is a deeper meaning. What is it?
I’m not one to look for really deep meaning in poetry. I took it pretty much for face value .. I just love how he captured the feeling of a snow day … and the line about how the “dog will porpoise through the drifts” .. and the names of the schools are so wonderful.
It’s about the end World War II. At least thats what i think about it. notice all the words like revolution and white flag. The school closings represent cities being captured in Germany which would make kids back home happy because that means the war is almost over so they would not be drafted soon. Also notice the “three girls plotting what riot is afoot.” to me that reminds me of Russia, United Kingdom, and the United States plotting what would happen to germany after the war is finally over. And as we all know the cold war is what fallowed World War II which is what ties this whole poem together seeing how it’s called “snow Day.”
Loved hearing your thoughts on this poem. None of this occurred to me at all … but it is an interesting viewpoint.
I love Billy Collins and am so grateful to a co-worker who introduced me to him about 5 years ago.
I am really not a poetry person – mostly because I have never learned how to appreciate it.
Anyway, I was fortunate to hear Billy Collins read some of his own poetry two years ago and I LOVE his style. I can actually understand it
Hope you are staying warm during these winter storms.
So strange reading about snow storms and blizzards as we swelter in the heat!
Another great poem.
Thanks for introducing me to a good poet…I just read "Another Reason Why I Don't Keep a Gun in the House (also about a dog)
Great Poem. Me I am like the kids love to get those snow days, but I don't have kids staying home, I get to stay home from the kids. Thanks for sharing this poem.
Even the first line of this one is perfect… a "revolution of snow"! I kind of wish we had one here. So far it's just a few agitating flakes, trying to rouse the rabble.
I love the listing of the schools! Very appropriate poem for today!
I love the image the dog in the snow brings to my mind! That pot of tea sounds good, too.
What is it about little boys and their non-stop talking??
Enjoyed this dose of Billy Collins for the day. Thanks!
I must say, I love snow. I even enjoy being out in the cold, shoveling. I even enjoy cleaning off my car. Even though I have to drive to work in it. Even when I lost my electric, thankfully only for a few hours.
It is just SO PRETTY!
Porpoise through the drifts- I can see why that line attracted you. It brings up such an image. My cats used to look like that too. Hopefully,soon you can retire that fleet of snowshovels for the year.Have a fun day!