Explication of Galway Kinnell's "After Making Love We Hear Footsteps"

Introduction: The Power of the Title

The beauty of a good poem and the technique of a good poet is the ability to capture a moment in time — not merely a visual description of what occurred, but the feelings and tones present in that moment, so that the reader can re-experience it almost three-dimensionally, as if they had been there. Galway Kinnell's poem "After Making Love We Hear Footsteps" is an excellent example of this experience, and it begins with the title itself.

There is something organic that happens when hearing this stringing together of seemingly disparate words. At first the phrase disarms the reader, who must pause to understand the connotation of each word. This throws us off balance before even reaching the poem, but it also opens us to new insights. A certain amount of imagery comes to mind — both visceral and auditory — though it is not yet refined. The poem will supply the meaning and the full experience in detail.

Fergus and the Instinct of Memory

We are quickly introduced to Fergus, the child of the poem's loving couple. Fergus could sleep through the most raucous snoring, crushingly loud music, or any amount of loud conversation "with any reasonably sober Irishman" (Meyer). In fact, he will sink ever deeper into slumber — unless there is the least sound of connubial bliss. "But let there be that heavy breathing / or a stifled come-cry anywhere in the house / and he will wrench himself awake / and make for it on the run" (Meyer). As many married couples know, this seems to be a common occurrence among children between the ages of walking and twelve.

There have certainly been many theories surrounding this behavior: jealousy, curiosity, and many a Freudian interpretation, among others. However, the poet offers a simple yet elegant explanation: "this one whom habit of memory propels to the ground of his making" (Meyer). Kinnell suggests that through some organic memory connection between the fetus and the newborn, Fergus instinctively knows — both physically and emotionally — where he has come from, and by a force of "habit" returns to the ground of his making. This last phrase sounds suspiciously similar to the concept of "the ground of being," an existential idea proposed by the philosopher Paul Tillich for the reality of God (Streng 379) — perhaps an implied metaphorical meaning.

Imagery of Long-Married Intimacy

There is some lovely imagery and phrasing surrounding the moment after making love. Most notable is the "familiar touch of the long-married" (Meyer). This phrase, whether it falls on married ears or not, creates a visceral bodily feeling. Knowing where all the curves are, the right place to rest your arms and legs, the almost automatic oneness that two bodies achieve at night — all of this is immediately accessible. The phrase is also symbolic of the couple's relationship: the words "long-married," used in a different context, would almost certainly carry a negative connotation, but here they are celebrated.

Ironically, it is just after this tender phrase that Fergus appears — in his baseball pajamas that he is swiftly outgrowing. After such a touching moment, the reference to baseball and Fergus's tight-fitting pajamas, with "the neck opening so small / he has to screw them on" (Meyer), already feels slightly out of place. The poet continues the metaphor, noting that the neck size is something "which one day may make him wonder / about the mental capacity of baseball players" (Meyer). There may also be a rather crude allusion to the word "screw" here that does not go unnoticed. The poem then slides into lines where Fergus nestles between his parents, satisfied in himself as "being this very child" (Meyer). The outgrowing of his clothes and the reference to baseball allude to the fact that Fergus will one day grow up and grow out of this behavior — a realization that carries a certain sadness, yet also, for many parents, a measure of relief. This sets up a deeply paradoxical feeling in both mind and heart.

Conclusion: A Complete Image of Love

The total imagery that the poem conveys is more than just a visual one. This imagery begins with the title: we are presented with a couple in bed, in the afterglow of making love. In that first half of the title we can feel the silent, warm presence, the peace and stillness of that moment. Someone, as yet unknown, peppers the silence with the sound of footsteps. The reader's initial reaction may be one of interruption leading to annoyance. The irony of the poem is that it presents just the opposite effect. The image of warmth, silence, tenderness, and love is complete — and the poet has shown, through the smallest domestic moment, that the physical, spiritual, and familial dimensions of love are, in the end, inseparable in Kinnell's vision.