1.
Through the night
the apples
outside my window
one by one let go
their branches and
drop to the lawn.
I can’t see, but hear
the stem-snap, the plummet
through leaves, then
the final thump against the ground.
Sometimes two
at once, or one
right after another.
During long moments of silence
I wait
and wonder about the bruised bodies,
the terror of diving through air, and
think I’ll go tomorrow
to find the newly fallen, but they
all look alike lying there
dewsoaked, disappearing before me.
2.
I lie beneath my window listening
to the sound of apples dropping in
the yard, a syncopated code I long to know,
which continues even as I sleep, and dream I know
the meaning of what I hear, each dull
thud of unseen apple-
body, the earth
falling to earth
once and forever, over
and over.
Li-Young Lee’s “Falling: The Code” explores the seemingly simple act of apples falling from a tree to reveal life’s temporariness, using sensory imagery and sound to look into themes of existence, mortality, and the interconnectedness of all things. The poem is divided into two parts, and each offers a slightly different perspective on the apples’ fall. The speaker is lying under their window and is listening to the rhythm of apples falling from their branches, hitting the ground, and wondering about the meaning behind this ordinary occurrence. The contrast between the external event of the apples falling and the internal introspection of the deeper meaning establishes a tension that drives the poem’s deeper reflection.
The title, “Falling: The Code,” suggests that the act of falling carries a hidden meaning, a kind of “code” that the speaker is determined to understand. This sense of mystery adds a supernatural dimension to the poem, connecting the natural process of apples falling to broader questions about life and death. The speaker describes the apples’ fall as a “syncopated code,” filling it with rhythmic significance that feels almost musical in its repetition. One of the most striking lines, “the earth / falling to earth,” captures the cyclical nature of life. It brings to mind the inevitability of life’s progression toward death and what comes after, reminding readers that all living things ultimately return to the ground, only to give rise to new life in a perpetual cycle.
Lee enhances the poem’s vibrancy through a variety of poetic techniques that deepen its emotional and intellectual impact. Anaphora, as seen in phrases like “I wait / and wonder,” creates a rhythmic flow that mirrors both the speaker’s thoughts and the repetitive motion of falling apples. This rhythm evokes a sense of inevitability, drawing the reader into the natural cadence of the poem. Additionally, Lee uses personification to breathe life into the apples, describing them as experiencing “terror” during their fall. By assigning human emotions to the apples, the poet blurs the line between the natural and the human, making the apples a metaphor for human life and its vulnerabilities. The interaction between enjambment and end-stopped lines further enhances the poem’s dynamic sense of movement and reflection. For example, enjambed lines like “and think I’ll go tomorrow / to find the newly fallen” suggest continuity and anticipation, while end-stopped lines such as “I lie beneath my window listening” provide moments of stillness, encouraging reflection.
The poem’s structure also plays a crucial role in conveying its themes. Its indented lines and division into two distinct stanzas reflect the shift in focus from external observation of the falling apples to internal reflection on the deeper meaning. In the first stanza, the sensory experience of the apples falling is vividly captured through auditory and visual imagery, such as “stem-snap” and “the plummet / through leaves.” This creates a tangible, almost cinematic depiction of the event. The second stanza looks into the speaker’s introspective thoughts, as they seek to uncover the meaning behind this natural rhythm. The shift in tone and focus encourages the reader to consider not only the physical act of falling but also its symbolic implications.
Ultimately, “Falling: The Code” serves as a profound reflection on the search for meaning in everyday occurrences. By connecting together auditory and visual imagery, structural choices, and poetic techniques, Li-Young Lee allows the readers to consider the rhythms of the world and the deeper truths they may contain. The poem reminds us that even life’s simplest moments can hold extraordinary significance, urging us to remain attentive to the beauty and wisdom inherent in the natural world. Through this, “Falling: The Code” becomes a call to find meaning in the ordinary and to embrace the interconnected cycles of life and death with humility and wonder.
