The Collar

The collar symbolizes dedication to a religious life. The collar does not appear in the text of the poem itself, but the fact that it is chosen as the title for the poem shows its significance. It refers the priestly collar that clergy members wore as a symbol of their role. It also refers to a collar in the traditional sense – that worn by animals and other subservient creatures – to underscore the speaker's questions about whether religion is service or servitude.

The Road

"The road," mentioned in the fifth line of the poem, symbolizes freedom. The speaker imagines himself setting out across the world, exploring new paths beyond the ones laid out by his religious responsibility. The road, in this sense, becomes synonymous with the rejection of faith.

Fruit

Fruit symbolizes the positive results of labor. It is mentioned several times in the poem. The...