In this lyrical and poignant poem, the speaker recalls taking his son to boarding school eighteen years ago – and reflects on the fact that the pain of this separation is still present in his mind. At the start of the poem, Lewis establishes a semantic field of suffering, as the father communicates his anguish and distress through the image of the “satellite / Wrenched from its orbit”. Through this unnatural image, Lewis suggests that to the father it feels that separation from his son is an unnatural experience, whilst the pain is encapsulated in the violent verb “wrenched”. The placement of this verb at the start of a line disrupts the expected rhythm (we would expect to have an unstressed word at the beginning of this line, but instead the stress falls on “wrenched”), emphasising the ostensible unnaturalness of the situation. After being torn away, the satellite “goes drifting away” – a phrase which indicates that the father’s fear is that his son will be unprotected and vulnerable.
Yet, as the poem progresses the imagery becomes increasingly natural rather than unnatural, implying the father’s gradual acceptance that it is inevitable that a child will leave home. We see this in the line “a half-fledged thing set free / Into a wilderness”. As in the satellite image, it is clear that this separation has happened too early: the bird is only “half-fledged” (it only has half of its adult feathers). The word “wilderness” also conveys the child’s vulnerability in a dangerous place. However, unlike the satellite image, the “wilderness” could be exciting – a place of adventure and discovery where the child can learn and thrive.
By the poem’s final lines, Lewis still communicates the visceral pain of separation (“gnaws at my mind still”), but the father has accepted separation from his son, realising that “love is proved in the letting go”. This poem recognises the pain of separation, but counters this with an understanding that love means allowing the child to become independent and discover his own identity.
Like many of the poems in the anthology, “Walking Away” is written in the first person, creating a personal, intimate tone and allowing the poet to provide an insight into the father’s anguish. The speaker directly addresses his child, suggesting that despite the distance that separates them, there remains a strong connection between parent and child, and that the parent wishes to continue this relationship. The steady ABACA rhyme scheme reflects the consistency of love. However, the C rhyme suggests something out of place and unfinished, whilst the use of circular structure indicates that the father’s pain will continue – he is trapped in a cycle of isolation.
Amy Smith Literature 