Poppies in October Summary

The poem begins with the speaker noting that even clouds, made red by the sunrise, can't compare with the beauty of the red poppies. In fact, the speaker notes, neither can the heart of a woman in an ambulance, who is bleeding through her coat, compare with the poppies' beauty. The poppies are a gift of sorts, even though nobody has asked for them. The speaker then shifts, no longer comparing other objects' beauty to the poppies, but instead taking note of the beings who did not ask for poppies in October. These include the sky, which is fiery and dim because of industrial waste, and the passing businessmen, who walk by in bowler hats with dulled, unaware eyes. Unlike these passing people, the speaker is thrilled by the poppies. They ask God what they have done to deserve the poppies, which seem to cry out. The speaker ends the poem by talking about how the poppies stand out from the cold forest and the blue cornflowers, as if the mere sight of the poppies has allowed the speaker to imagine a world disconnected from the industrialized, rushed city.