Reading Response: Halley's Comet by Stanley Kunitz

http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/stanley_kunitz/poems/18064

The poem I chose for this week’s class is Halley’s Comet by Stanley Kunitz. I first read this poem in a creative writing class I took in high school. When we read The Portrait, also by Kunitz, in this class a couple weeks ago, I was reminded of how much I enjoyed his writing style. The thing that stands out for me is his ability to lay out a vivid and captivating story in very few words. His poems are accessible, but in no way juvenile. Halley’s Comet is a recollection from Stanley’s childhood when he thought the word was going to end. His first grade teacher informed the class that the comet may hit earth, and a preacher warned everyone to repent before it did. Being only six, Stanley believed that he was going to die that night, and he waited on his rooftop to rejoin his father in the afterlife. After reading The Portrait we know that his father committed suicide before Stanley was born. I thought it was interesting how Stanley’s poems are so intimate and seem to piece together his life.

Stanley creates attractive imagery with very few modifiers. He’s straight to the point, but doesn’t skim over the detail. He’s very skilled at guiding the reader through the story without being obvious or condescending. He often mentions the names of people and place’s like Miss Murphy, his teacher, or Green street, where his house was located. They’re simple details but they’re integral to the story’s structure. Stanley’s poems are often told from the perspective of a child but with the tone of an adult. His voice is very clear so we know it’s always him speaking. But it feels as though we are seamlessly traveling through time to witness his defining moments. I loved the line break, which separated the last 8 lines from the rest of the poem. “Look for me, Father, on the roof of the red brick building… I'm the boy in the white flannel gown… waiting for the world to end”(Kunitz). This is the best example of a seamless shift in perspective. He spent the first part of the poem explaining the events leading up to the comet’s passing. Then it end’s with a plea that comes straight form the 1911 Stanley Kunitz. I found it very moving.