The Lanyard Essay
Sarah Rademacher
Mrs. D’Foy
English 4.4
28 September 2014
“The Lanyard” “The Lanyard”, written by Billy Collins, is about a recount of his childhood in which he presents his mother with a lanyard that he made out of boredom at summer camp. Collins uses symbolism of a lanyard and the mood of amusement to illustrate that a person can never really repay their mother for all the things she has done for them. The lanyard symbolizes love to the adolescent Collins. The lanyard is something that he made and is proud of, and in his adolescent years he believes that it “would be enough to make us even” (line 42). In the five love languages, Collins giving his mother this lanyard falls under giving gifts as showing love. Also, it can be seen that the lanyard symbolizes love in the way that Collins writes this poem. Over and over the statement “and I gave her a lanyard” (line 20) is repeated in different forms. They all come after a description of what his mother did for him out of love, and they are followed by his innocent idea that his lanyard that he gives his mom is love. Lastly, in the beginning of the poem it states “I found myself in the L section of the dictionary” (line 5). Ironically, both lanyard and love are found in the L section of the dictionary, proving even more that the lanyard is love to this little boy. While reading this poem, the reader may find themselves laughing along to the rhythm of “The Lanyard”. Because of this, the mood of the poem can be seen as amusement. Collins starts listing things that his mother gave to him: “Here is a breathing body and a beating heart, strong legs, bones, and teeth, and two clear eyes to read the world, she whispered, and here, I said, is the lanyard I made at camp” (lines 31-34). It is amusing that after his mother tells him all of these marvelous things that she has given him all he has to offer is a little lanyard he made at summer camp. Also it can be perceived as funny when Collins states “I had never seen
Mrs. D’Foy
English 4.4
28 September 2014
“The Lanyard” “The Lanyard”, written by Billy Collins, is about a recount of his childhood in which he presents his mother with a lanyard that he made out of boredom at summer camp. Collins uses symbolism of a lanyard and the mood of amusement to illustrate that a person can never really repay their mother for all the things she has done for them. The lanyard symbolizes love to the adolescent Collins. The lanyard is something that he made and is proud of, and in his adolescent years he believes that it “would be enough to make us even” (line 42). In the five love languages, Collins giving his mother this lanyard falls under giving gifts as showing love. Also, it can be seen that the lanyard symbolizes love in the way that Collins writes this poem. Over and over the statement “and I gave her a lanyard” (line 20) is repeated in different forms. They all come after a description of what his mother did for him out of love, and they are followed by his innocent idea that his lanyard that he gives his mom is love. Lastly, in the beginning of the poem it states “I found myself in the L section of the dictionary” (line 5). Ironically, both lanyard and love are found in the L section of the dictionary, proving even more that the lanyard is love to this little boy. While reading this poem, the reader may find themselves laughing along to the rhythm of “The Lanyard”. Because of this, the mood of the poem can be seen as amusement. Collins starts listing things that his mother gave to him: “Here is a breathing body and a beating heart, strong legs, bones, and teeth, and two clear eyes to read the world, she whispered, and here, I said, is the lanyard I made at camp” (lines 31-34). It is amusing that after his mother tells him all of these marvelous things that she has given him all he has to offer is a little lanyard he made at summer camp. Also it can be perceived as funny when Collins states “I had never seen