Despite the musical connotations of “Trio”, of three people united for a common cause, Morgan originally creates an impression of the young people as separates, individuals, rather than a group. Each person is allocated their own line for their description, via the control of line length, and is referred to in the singular, not the plural; “The young man… the girl… the girl”. In addition to this, each is described not by what features they share, but by the different things they are carrying; a guitar, a baby, a Chihuahua. Each person separate, individual, carrying a different object.
However, this initial impression is to be short lived; in the following lines, and indeed for the remainder of the poem, Morgan conveys the sense of how the three are ‘united in happiness’. This is brought out in how all references to the three are now in the plural, no longer referring to individuals, but to a group; “the three… their… they”. Acting together simultaneously, their happiness reflected in each other, with the word choice further bringing out this idea. “Laughing” clearly implies happiness and joy, as does the imagery of their breath rising up in a “Cloud of happiness”, laughing out their pleasure and contentment, frosted breath mingling harmoniously in one cloud. This ‘cloud’ image seems almost a reversion of the traditional ‘cloud of misery’ idea, of bad luck and despair following the unfortunate target – instead, happiness flourishes around this trio.
One particular thing that a poet can do is reveal the wonderful and miraculous within the mundane and ordinary. In “Trio” Morgan uses this to good effect with the dialogue of “Wait till he sees this but!” The particular dialect helps to embed the incident in the ‘real’ world, as the practice of ending a sentence with “but” is peculiar to the Glasgow area – realistic, and as such, imaginable to the reader, lending credibility to the rest of the poet’s epiphany. It also conveys the sense of the dramatic which was established in the opening lines, as two unknown factors are introduced to the reader, leading them to speculate as to who “he” is, and what, exactly, has been bought for him to cause such excitement and exclamation. In addition to this, the picture of three people, carrying gifts, things that are precious to them, has overtones leading back to the title, with the three magi who brought gifts to the baby Jesus.
Now that the Christian analogy has been signalled, the poet goes on to consider the ‘gifts’ that these young people are carrying. In an apostrophe, the poet characterises these gifts as “Orphean sprig! Melting baby! Warm Chihuahua!” The reference to Orpheus, a character of Greek legend as a poet and skilled lyre player, has associations of music, and stringed instruments – as both lyre and guitar are stringed. However, while “Orphean” seems to refer to the guitar, there is more than one possible interpretation. The guitar was earlier described as being “tied at the neck with silver tinsel tape and a brisk sprig of mistletoe”. This “sprig” could be the one mentioned later in the poem, and as mistletoe is traditionally kissed under at Christmas time, the poet is bringing connotations of love and happiness to the concept of music, as well as the traditional viewing of plants and the natural world as healthy and positive.
With “Melting baby!” Morgan is not only talking about the standard descriptions of babies ‘melting people’s hearts’ but also the idea that the baby is literally generating warmth, via body heat and therefore “melting” the edge off the frost laced wind on that “sharp” evening. There are even sickeningly sweet overtones of the saying ‘butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth’, portraying the baby as completely innocent, perhaps furthering the religious connotations of the baby Jesus. The idea of warmth is furthered with “Warm Chihuahua!” both in terms of the dog being warm, wrapped up in a “tartan coat” and it’s body heat lending warmth to those around it. Warmth has always has positive connotations, at least in terms of on a freezing night, so these gifts add up to create a very positive, comforting effect, despite their initial diversity, brought together by the poet’s representation of the group through word choice and imagery.
Throughout the poem, it is clear that the poet considers these gifts to be of some symbolic importance. Though exactly what their significance consists of is not made clear until the end of the poem, the change in tone and register when discussing them makes it clear that what they do symbolise is very important in the poet’s eyes. The register becomes increasingly complex and allusive with references to “vale of tears”, “Christ is born, or is not born” and “abdicates” – all very formal, serious language, laced with biblical references. “Vale of tears” in the Bible refers to the world which we live in, full of hardship and suffering, and how only through Christ, and His sacrifice, do we find true freedom and happiness and escape. Yet the poet does not seem to be pushing this idea – rather, with “Whether Christ is born, or is not born” he seems to be saying that it is irrelevant, that it is, in fact, through ourselves that people find ‘true’ happiness, however briefly.
With “You put paid to fate” it is uncertain to which ‘you’ the poet is addressing. It is clearly important, as the “you” has been emphasised by placing it at the end of the line, but I do not believe it is the reader to whom Morgan is addressing. One possible interpretation is that he is talking about the gifts, and their bearers – that these gifts, and what they symbolise, have the power to transform the reality of our world into momentary happiness, by sharing them with others. While the poet seems to go through some uncertainty with “whether Christ is born, or is not born”, both the contrasting change in register and the alliteration of “put paid to fate” highlights his eventual certainty. After the more formal style of language previously used, the slang of “put paid” makes this conclusion stand out significantly – “abdicates” is the word used to describe this withdrawal of the pressures and troubles of life from the scene. That particular word choice has several interesting connotations; the abdication of life’s troubles temporarily, allowing human happiness; or perhaps Christ’s abdication from the throne of Heaven, in order to allow human happiness. Whichever interpretation you prefer, the conclusion is clear – happiness is possible.
The life-enhancing power of these symbolic gifts is further emphasised in the following lines, where the poem seems to build to a climax with “Monsters of the year go blank, are scattered back, can’t bear this march of three.” Through these gifts, whatever they stand for, the bad things of the year, that frighten and even control our lives, are first neutralised, then actively repelled, by the positive aspects of human nature. The word choice of “monsters” holds many different interpretations, but I believe it to essentially cover those things that control and coerce people, though perhaps they might not seem ‘monsters’ at first. However, there is another possible interpretation, continuing the biblical references used earlier in the text; the “monsters of the year” could refer to Herod’s attempts in the Bible to kill the baby Jesus, the “march of three” referring not only to the three magi who helped conceal Him, but to the Holy Trinity.
The final section of the poem begins with unusual punctuation, a dash to be precise, signalling the end of the parenthesis and the poet’s epiphany, and return to the ‘real’ world. Parenthesis is further employed in the next lines, where brackets are used, in the far quieter conclusion, to tell of the real significance of the gifts in the poet’s eyes. Ironically, though, this parenthesis puts them almost on an aside, disguising their importance, as they contain the crux of the poem. Yet the repetition of “vanishes” is also used, to draw attention to the significance, and the word “and”, re-emphasising how vital to the attainment of human happiness these factors are; which perhaps also indicates that all three aspects are required for ‘true’ happiness. The image at the end is highly important, as it highlights how art, friendship and nature can bring joy and comfort to people’s lives; the guitar symbolising music, and through that, art and beauty; the baby representing trust and friendship, of caring for one another; and the Chihuahua representing the natural world, where if we are in harmony with it, we can achieve happiness, according to Morgan – through “life of men an beasts and music”.
Particularly vital in bringing out the importance of this conclusion is the simile and imagery used near the very end of the poem, in the final description of the trio; “laughter ringing round them like a guard”. “Ringing” holds the connotations of ‘ringing’ laughter, happiness, and of bells ringing in triumphant song. Yet the idea of an impervious shield, literally ringing the three in the safety of their content, is also present – perhaps furthered by the overtones of martial imagery, with the “ringing” of swords defending them. This becomes all the more important, when, after his epiphany, the poet darkens the mood of the poem in a more negative ending, with “At the end of this winter’s day” – with the negative connotations of “end” and “winter”, this conclusion stands out in its self reliant security – Happiness is possible.
However, there is a definite irony to this conclusion to the poem; despite it being Christmas, a time, by very definition, when the happiness of the season is due to Christ, and his coming to earth, that Morgan can conclude that happiness needs no religion – only people. Part of our nature responds to art, beauty, nature and friends – and Morgan is saying that it is these that will bring us joy and happiness, when we live in harmony with others, as musicians playing in a trio produce better music - and not faith. This conclusion, that Christ does not matter, stemming from a sighting on a celebration specifically devoted to Christ’s birth is ironic – but this irony does not detract from the overall feeling of the poem.
Whether or not the reader agrees with Morgan’s interpretation as to the ‘key to human happiness’, there is no arguing that “Trio” is a very happy poem, despite references to “Vale of tears” and the idea of ‘dark nights of the soul’. The conclusion is that happiness and joy are obtainable for everyone, and these moments outweigh the dark times of life. Certainly, Morgan has succeeded in portraying the life-enhancing themes of the poem through a wide variety of techniques – the fact that I think his conclusion, while apparently plausible to some, is unworkable in reality is utterly irrelevant.
2337 words
(I haven’t edited the words yet, so it wouldn’t actually be this long)
