Burning a Book

The first four lines of William Stafford’s “Burning a Book” describe the physical act of book burning. In Stanza 1, the speaker of the poem provides a detailed description of a novel set ablaze, noting how the pages of the burning book are “protecting each other, right in the center” (Line 1) and “glow a long time” (Line 2) before inevitably turning to ash. The speaker’s description is methodical, chronologically detailing how the book burns from the moment it is lit until it smolders out. The speaker analyzes that “the cover goes first, then outer leaves / curling away, then spine and a scattering” (Lines 3-4). Stafford’s use of the words “first” and “then” (Line 3) creates a timeline, challenging the commonly held assumption that book burnings are nonsensical acts of passion through the speaker’s quiet and measured observations (see: Contextual Analysis “Socio-Historical Context”). The speaker never explicitly states that the spine of the book burns last because of the seams and glue that bind it together, but readers are able reach this educated conclusion by following the analytical process set forth by the speaker from the onset of the poem.

The imagery in the first four lines of Stanza 1 is specific and at the same time, minimal.