" The stanza discusses how Bill's friends tried to "persuade" both themselves and him that they were not afraid and therefore showed this by comforting him with kisses. However, the following stanza shows how this statement is not entirely true. The poet goes on to state, "If we had more, we would have given more. As it was we stood next to your bed, stopping, though, to set our smiles at the door." At first the poet tries to convince himself that they did all they could, more than necessary, even going as far as standing guard over his deathbed. Yet in the last line the poet admits that this was not enough and was in fact nothing but prefabricated "smiles at the door."
The feelings of guilt continue in the final stanza, which states: "Not because we were less sure at last. Only because, not knowing anything yet, we didn't know what look would hurt you least." Finally, the poet admits that they too, like the rest of society, were ignorant as to the pain and suffering caused by Bill's disease. Not knowing what Bill was going through, the poet was unable to understand whether his token gestures of comfort would hurt Bill more than the disease itself.
Conclusion
The theme of guilt and shame dominate this poem. This is evident once one takes the time to analyze the poem line by line. At...
However, on closer examination, it becomes clear that, due to their ignorance of the disease and the resulting fear of it, these friends of Bill did little less then what they had to (handshakes, visits and quiet smiles). As a result, after Bill has died, they feel guilt. This poem, when seen from this perspective, along with the surrounding social and political climate of the time, is to be read as a poem to Bill. It is an attempt to give something to Bill to make up for what they failed to give him when he needed it most: understanding.
The reason this poem is so effective and powerful is that it is written for Bill. The letter format brings the reader in and places the reader next to Bill's bed. It forces the reader to evaluate their feelings towards a man dying of an incurable disease. It forces us to critique the strength of our fears vs. The importance of our friendships. Further, by personalizing the disease with the name "Bill," the reader sees the disease as not a mysterious, medical ailment that only effects people in other nations but as a disease that can effect our closest friends and our society's ability to be humane. It is this technique that makes Mr. Miller's poem powerfully relevant even today.
