Summary

In “Busking”, the speaker describes the experience of playing music on the streets for donations from passers-by. The cold sun beats down on their empty guitar case. The speaker thinks about giving up, selling their guitar or destroying it. As a busker, the speaker is often overlooked and under-appreciated. In spite of their treatment, the speaker shows up the following morning to do it all again.

Analysis

“Busking” opens with an idealistic image: “The day folds up like money” (Line 1). However, the poet’s use of enjambment quickly undermines this positive attitude: “if you’re lucky” (Line 2). This reversal of expectation parallels the speaker’s own reversal of expectation as they work hard to succeed in music. The use of assonance implies near internal rhyme, creating a sense of rhythm. This first stanza establishes the poem’s overall tone as well as its couplet...