Billy Collins is one of my favorite poets of those we have read. I enjoyed the poem “On Turning Ten” because it reminded me a lot of the coming-of-age theme we have discussed so often in class. Collins uses language everyone can relate with to describe the difficulties that come with maturity and loss of innocence. Leaving childhood behind is something we have all experienced, and it can be a difficult process to come to terms with.
I loved the line, “at seven I was a soldier, at nine a prince.” Some of the most vivid memories of my own childhood relate to this imaginary world that my friends and I once lived in. We would play house together, and when it was nice out, I would play cops and robbers with my brother and his friends outside. This playfulness is a child’s creative outlet, and as we age, we often lose the ability to play. As children, it’s simple to take a step back from your own life and realize that everything doesn’t have to be so serious. I guarantee that when I’m stressing out about some test, paper, or deadline, that the younger version of me would disapprove of how tense I can be. It makes me realize that life is much too short to spend it worried or stressed.
The poem ends by describing the harsh transformation from a naïve child to a more informed 10-year old. Collins writes, “It seems only yesterday I used to believe, there was nothing under my skin but light. If you cut me I could shine. But now when I fall upon the sidewalks of life, I skin my knees. I bleed.” To me, the light under his skin represents happiness, youth, and freedom. When he falls on his knees and bleeds, he shows that we become vulnerable to the harsh reality of the world as we age. We gain knowledge, but we lose the subconscious ability to push the worries and troubles aside.
Even though this may seem somewhat depressing, I think there is hope. I’ve met many adults who are as carefree and happy as children. I’ve been told that smiling and laughing will lengthen your life, and after witnessing the wonderful life of my great-grandmother and countless older role models, I believe it is true. We turn ten, twenty, forty, and if we make it there, we go on to be eighty and older. This poem reminds me that we have to consciously make an effort to keep our spirit youthful, even after our mind and body have aged.
Hi Anna, Thanks for the good posts. I am so glad that you are bale to communicate with Hana Jang, even though communication is difficult. I am sure the conversations are helping her, and I look forward to reading more. Perhaps next time you can share your P&J sandwich, even if you won't try the sushi. Your description of your library excursion was insightful. I am pleased that you picked up on the repetition of the word "modern." I also thought your readings of EH's "The Three-Day Blow" and BC's "On Turning Ten" were great. In the former Nick is certainly a teenager in transition, and in the latter the narrator does achieve some glimpse of mortality and reality. Good stuff. dw
ReplyDeleteAnna, I abosultely love the quote that you posted from "Turning Ten". It is my favorite of the poem, because it really does show the reality of how when we start to grow up the things that push us down leave more of a mark than they did when we were younger, and I think this is partly due to our own faults. We all want to grow up faster than we should and when it happens we wonder why this life is so harsh.
ReplyDeleteOn the topic of Billy Collins, he is my most favorite poet that I have read. I have never had an easy time with poetry and I think if my teachers had read his poems to me in middle and high school I would have been more open to exploring other poetry later on in my life. It is so clear and refreshing to read because it is truly related to the human emotions.
I really enjoyed “On Turning Ten” as well. Like you said, it perfectly captures the whole coming of age theme that has been so prevalent throughout our class discussions this year. While I can’t say that I shared your experience “playing house” with my friends, I can definitely connect to the cops and robbers side of the imaginary world you describe. I love your comment about the creative outlet that we lose our ability to take part in as we age. It seems like as adults we are more prone to turn to anxiety when confronted by problems, and we allows these "obstacles" to constantly push us off course regardless of how significant they actually are.
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