Today

Billy Collins generally writes in free verse, and “Today” is no exception—the poem does not adhere to any formal poetic structure and has no consistent meter or pattern of rhyming. It consists of nine couplets (a set of two lines), making a total of 18 lines. The entire poem is one long sentence with only the occasional comma and the consistent two-line stanzas to help break it up. One of the primary characteristics of free verse is that it mimics the rhythm of regular speech, and “Today” does sound like just a regular person basking in a gorgeous spring day. This “regular person” dialogue makes the reader feel comfortable with the speaker, which then allows the surprising elements to be more surprising since we are more surprised by unusual things in our regular environments than we are in foreign environments. The tone of the poem overall is straightforward and has an “everyman” feel to it, especially in the use of the second person (“you”), since the speaker employs the second person in the general sense that means everyone, not just the singular reader. This impression of inclusion makes the reader trust the speaker and feel at home there in the house and garden that they describe.