The Dead Billy Collins Analysis

Have you ever found yourself wondering about death or those who’ve passed on before you? If so then understand that you aren’t alone in pondering about this matter. In fact, this subject matter is explored in the two poems, “The Dead” By Billy Collins and W.S. Merwin’s “For The Anniversary of My Death”. The similarities in these two pieces of poetry tie into their gloomy and mournful tone. Collins and Merwin both use simile to emphasize familiar thoughts that have shifted their minds on the topic of death. Along with that, the literary device of sentence structure adds to the image of humans connecting with their deceased relatives. The structure of the sentences also help in convincing the reader of certain emotions that are being expressed

by the speakers in each poem. Death is reflected by two similar yet different perspectives which connect the vision of the living and the dead widely throughout the stanzas.
In the first poem “The Dead” by Billy Collins, the speaker realizes the connection between the living and the dead by revealing that the dead are watching them from above.

The opening line of the first stanza states, “The dead are always looking down on us, they say, while we are putting on our shoes or making a sandwich,”(Collins 527). The sentence structure of this quote reflects on how those who are deceased look down on those that remain alive. It builds on the idea of being aware in which the living know the dead are watching over them like guardians. While those living go about their days, they forget about their dead relatives and focus more on themselves and the world in which they exist. As the living prosper, ‘The dead’ are patiently waiting for the day they join them in death. One quote connecting to simile states, “which makes them lift their oars and fall silent and wait, like parents, for us to close our eyes”(Collins 527). The dead resemble parents watching over their kids which evokes a comforting feeling. The living can feel security within themselves by knowing that the dead can protect them similar to how parents protect their children. This line can also connect to the living closing their eyes as they die and the dead witnessing

it.
In the second poem, “For the Anniversary of My Death” by W.S. Merwin, the speaker has fully realized that the day he dies is unknown. Due to it being unknown, he is quite curious and every year he wonders about his ultimate death. The speaker questions this notion constantly as he carries on with his daily activities. In the opening line he states, “Every year without knowing it I have passed the day / When the last first will wave to me”(Merwin 504). A tone of darkness is set in this line with how Merwin visualizes his demise being the day he is waved goodbye to as he ascends to eternity. Knowing this day would be his last, it paints an image of the silence and emptiness that comes with the afterlife and death.
Later in the poem, Merwin’s idea on the afterlife being silent transforms the journey of travelers. A simile that expresses this idea states, “ Tireless traveler / Like the beam of a lightless star”(Merwin 504). The ‘beam of a lightless star’ is symbolizing eternity which is difficult for one to fully grasp as they can’t witness it until they die. The structure of this sentence depicts how it is hard to understand something that can’t be seen yet. Merwin imagines death as he encounters it and moves from his existence . As time passes without stopping for anybody, the inevitable death can enhance the mental picture of life being temporary. Nothing lasts forever and being aware of this can make the thought of death unavoidable. Merwin acknowledges that at some point this life will be gone and he will fade into nothing. Not knowing when the end will come for him sets a tone of sadness and mourning. As death can enhance gloomy thoughts and emotions, a sense of appreciation for life can be brought out knowing every moment matters more that it won’t last. With this in mind, those ‘Tireless travelers’ continue to move towards separating the body from it’s consciousness by embracing the unknown that is yet to come for him.
Comparatively, These two individual poems demonstrate a similar fashion in which they are trying to depict a universal message about death.

Seeing those points of views come together to relate the concept of those who’ve died and are living brings a sense of connection between them. The living avoid thinking about the dead while the dead are watching over them and wondering when they will join them. Merwin’s “For the Anniversary of My Death” speaks more strongly about the curiosity that humans feel when thinking of death. Meanwhile Collin’s “The Dead” draws the reader’s attention by analyzing those who’ve passed onto the other side and wait for those living to do the same. Humans are so caught up in the physical world that they forget to tap into the spiritual world and the inevitable death they all will face at some point. Both are paying close attention to the two sides of life and death coming

together.
The subject matter of the first poem seemingly shows intensity in which there are spirits of some kind watching those existing in the real world. The sentence structures put the overarching theme of death into motion by elaborating on the final moment and what it can bring into perspective. These two poems have similar concepts in which they speak on human thoughts and emotions that affect their perception of death. This matter is able to place a certain comfort on the living that there is something beyond their existence and they can get in touch with their spirituality.