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Otherwise Poem Notes

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89 views3 pages

Otherwise Poem Notes

Uploaded by

Kailas
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Otherwise

by

Jane Kenyon

I got out of bed


on two strong legs.
It might have been
otherwise. I ate
cereal, sweet
milk, ripe, flawless
peach. It might
have been otherwise.
I took the dog uphill
to the birch wood.
All morning I did
the work I love.
At noon I lay down
with my mate. It might
have been otherwise.
We ate dinner together
at a table with silver
candlesticks. It might
have been otherwise.
I slept in a bed
in a room with paintings
on the walls, and
planned another day
just like this day.
But one day, I know,
it will be otherwise.
Jane Kenyon

Jane Kenyon was an American poet and translator. Her work is often characterized as
simple, spare, and emotionally resonant. Kenyon published four books of poetry during
her lifetime: “Constance”, “Let Evening Come”, “The Boat of Quiet Hours” and “From
Room to Room”, as well as a book of translation: “Twenty Poems of Anna Akhmatova” .
She received a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1981.In
December 1993, Kenyon and Hall were the subject of the Emmy Award-winning Bill
Moyers documentary, A Life Together. She was named poet laureate of New Hampshire
in 1995 and died of leukemia on April 22 of that year.

Poem Summary

The poem opens with the speaker appreciating small, everyday actions, such as getting
out of bed "on two strong legs." The repetition of the phrase "It might have been
otherwise" reminds the reader that these basic actions are often taken for granted, but
life could have been different, perhaps marked by illness or disability. The speaker
reflects on breakfast—eating cereal and a "flawless peach," another ordinary moment
that she acknowledges might not always be possible.

As the poem progresses, the speaker describes walking her dog, doing the work she
loves, spending time with her partner at noon, and enjoying a meal together at a table
adorned with silver candlesticks. Each moment is accompanied by the reminder that "It
might have been otherwise," emphasizing that these seemingly mundane pleasures
could easily be lost. The speaker’s recognition of these simple joys—meals, loved ones,
work—highlights her awareness of the fragility of life.

In the final lines, the speaker describes the peace of sleeping in a room with paintings
on the walls and planning for another day, identical to the current one. However, the
tone shifts slightly with the concluding line: "But one day, I know, it will be otherwise."
This acknowledges the inevitability of change, particularly in the face of mortality. The
poem conveys a deep awareness of life's fleeting nature, encouraging readers to
appreciate and cherish the simple, everyday moments because one day, they will be
gone.

“Otherwise” is a reflective meditation on the impermanence of life and the fragility of


everyday moments. Jane Kenyon conveys a quiet gratitude for the small joys of life
while reminding the reader of the ever-present reality of change and loss. The repetition
of “It might have been otherwise” serves as a poignant reminder that what we often
overlook as routine is a gift that could be taken away, and eventually, it will be.

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