“Budapest” by Billy Collins: Explication

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Table of Contents

Introduction
First Stanza
Second Stanza
Third Stanza
Fourth Stanza
Discussion
Conclusion

Introduction

Billy Collins reflects on his writing process from the standpoint of his writing hand in the poem “Budapest.” He pictures it as an independent entity that is only concerned with moving across paper, as though in search of food. The hand only wants to keep existing and write more, representing the author’s creative drive. Meanwhile, the poet himself observes it and lets his imagination wander, creating places where he has never been. It is implied that the two trains of ideas are not connected, and the hand’s thoughts are not the same as those of the head. The poem illustrates Billy’s creative process as something that takes place automatically, even though he may be distracted.

First Stanza

The poem begins by establishing the analogy between the poet’s hand and an animal. The pen and the arm are included in the description, hence the mention of the snout and the clothing. The opening reads: “My pen moves along the page / like the snout of a strange animal / shaped like a human arm / and dressed in the sleeve of a loose green sweater.” The choice of dress implies that Billy is in a relaxed home setting, where he can set up a comfortable atmosphere before beginning work on his poetry. He lets his imagination wander, and the abstraction of seeing the pen as the snout of an animal is a possible result of this state.

Second Stanza

The next line continues the analogy, expanding on it and moving further away from the subject of writing and poetry. The poet tries to find reasons why this odd animal would be sniffing around on his tabletop. The result is “I watch it sniffing the paper ceaselessly, / intent as any forager that has nothing / on its mind but the grubs and insects / that will allow it to live another day.” While these lines may be seen as a direct analogy to how animals must continuously search for food to survive in the wild, they also represent the poet’s creative drive. He is moved to write by instinct, and even if he is not thinking of anything, in particular, the pen records his state of mind.

Third Stanza

The view is reinforced in the third stanza where the poet elaborates on the desires and goals of his arm. Indeed, it sees writing as its duty and wants to continue doing so in the future. As such, the lines read “It wants only to be here tomorrow, / dressed perhaps in the sleeve of a plaid shirt, / nose pressed against the page, / writing a few more dutiful lines.” Billy’s interests are separated: the head may dream and wander away from the topic, but his arm keeps demanding something to write down. It forces him to sit down every day and produce several lines, which may eventually find their way into a finished work of art.

Fourth Stanza

The fourth, and final, stanza departs from the topic of the arm to establish that its aims are separate from those of the narrator. His imagination idly conjures up images, possibly as a source of inspiration, but more likely as a distraction. As such, the stanza reads, “while I gaze out the window / and imagine Budapest / or some other city / where I have never been.” Despite its inclusion in the poem’s title, Budapest is symbolic, a beautiful place with a rich history where Billy may want to go. However, the location does not necessarily have to be Budapest, and any beautiful scene would suffice. Billy is idly thinking of various ideas, with specifics having little relevance in setting his mood for writing.

Discussion

The poem illustrates a stream of thought through Collins’ usual style of maintaining an erratic, non-rhyming form. The method creates the impression that the work was created while the poet was in the state of mind described within, less concerned with classical restrictions and more interested in transferring the thoughts to paper. Overall, the poem challenges the reader’s perceptions of how poetry and art, in general, are created. Collins does not have to concentrate and focus to begin writing, and instead, he is driven to do so by a passion he depicts as a detached impulse. Anything may serve as subject matter, even distracted musings about viewing one’s arm as an animal or thoughts about distant and unfamiliar places.

Conclusion

Billy Collins’ “Budapest” is a representation of his creative process and the forces involved in it. Instead of trying to focus and treat writing as work that has to be done, the poet allows himself to relax at home. He idly observes the paper, gazes out of the window, and thinks of whatever comes to the forefront of his mind. The writing happens independently, taking down his stream of thoughts and resulting incomplete works. This method likely lends Collins’ poems their signature erratic style, as he is more concerned with expression than trying to conform to stylistic norms. Ultimately, the poem supports viewing poetry as art, something that is fueled by inspiration and ideas more than hard work.

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