Review: “The End of Childhood” by Wayne Miller

Reviewed on 1/9/2025

★★★★☆

In this short and sweet poem by Miller, the speaker gives shape to childhood with his daughter’s “project.” A notable conflict in the poem is between adult maturity, childish imagination, and the daughter’s fatalistic transformation into the former. “Building a path across the lake,” her endeavor seems nonsensical while carefully planned out (“goes out/ with an armful of boards/ … her brother brings the coffee can”). Unlike her wild imagination, the speaker observes in the “railing.” The parent, in contrast, represents a loving, while distant, figure; they view their child from an experienced perspective. 

The daughter “goes out,” “hammers,” and “tucks.” These actions illustrate the passing of time, particularly heightened by the end: “the ice has melted.” We would imagine seasonal changes render her project futile, and her growing up while learning about the concept of loss. While she comes out more mature, she also sacrifices a part of her innocence. But perhaps the daughter has yielded something different, as she simply hopes to “leave a track of boards.” Regardless of the impermanence of childhood, looking back, this bittersweet experience has already shaped who she is today. The reader can also easily resonate with the speaker’s observation.

Full Poem: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/1625074/the-end-of-childhood