Jennings brings the reader into the life of a bird that is about to give birth. The focus of the poem is the egg and its contents. The poet personifies the egg and gives it human characteristics to depict its journey through hatching – “And from the egg’s heart beats its life.” The poem also suggests that the egg contains a world within it, complete with its skies, mountains and rivers.
Through the egg’s journey, the poem conveys a sense of anticipation, struggle and, finally, triumph as the creature hatches. The poem emphasizes the miracle and beauty of life and concludes with a reflection on the power of nature.