In the Snack-bar by Edwin Morgan

In the Snack-bar by Edwin Morgan describes the speaker's encounter with a blind man in a busy snack-bar.

• In the Snack-bar aims to make a social comment about how we treat others.
• The poem begins with a description of a cup tumbling over in a café and ends with the speaker’s reflections upon the blind man’s situation.
• The speaker encourages us to consider the challenges of living with a disability, as well as confronting our own attitudes towards vulnerable people in society.
• This is an uncomfortable poem evoking a range of emotions in the speaker: beginning with revulsion, then pity and embarrassment, before ending on a note of utter despair and anguish.

You can read In the Snack-bar by Edwin Morgan on the Scottish Poetry Library website.

Looking for some quick revision? Try an interactive quiz for National 5 English.

Some writers have critiqued the use of damaging language and negative stereotypes of disability in In the Snack-bar. It is important to critically engage with the ideas in the texts you are studying and consider the poem in a wider context.

Here is a 2025 piece by the poet Nuala Watt, published by the Scottish Poetry Library, on the issues with the poem: "Challenging the language of In the Snack-bar".

This poem was first written in August 1964 and published in Morgan's collection The Second Life in 1968. In a 1994 interview, Morgan mentions some of his own thinking around the poem:

Morgan expresses a sense of admiration for the old man, but Watt argues that he portrays "disability as a spectacle" and the language he uses to talk about the man and his situation is ableist. She asks us to consider the impact of poem on readers with disabilities.

Each reader will interpret what a poem means to them in their own way. Everyone's response is different. The reader can separate the poet (and his intentions) from the speaker and words of the poem and think about how they contribute to wider themes or feelings.

In the Snack-bar is written in free verse and divided into three stanzas.

Using the present tense creates a sense of immediacy and allows the reader to more effectively share this experience.

• In the opening stanza the speaker vividly describes the blind man, the subject of the poem.
• Stanza two focuses on the ordeal of helping the man go to the toilet.
• In the third stanza, the speaker reflects on this experience.

The use of free verse alongside the narrative stance creates a natural, unrestricted style. This allows the reader to witness the gradual shift in the speaker’s emotions as he slowly changes his perceptions of the old man.

The imagery and repetition employed by Edwin Morgan throughout this poem is incredibly powerful, evoking first pity or empathy, and then compassion for the hardships and humiliations the old man is forced to endure on a daily basis, as well as admiration for his tenacity.

The opening stanza of In the Snack-bar establishes the situation the speaker finds himself in. Alliteration captures the sound and movement which attract the speaker’s attention in the café:

A cup capsizes along the formica, / slithering with a dull clatter.

The alliteration of the hard sounds of the initial letters of "cup", "capsizes" and "clatter" highlights the starkness of the sound against the background noise of the café. They sound sudden and disruptive.

"Clatter" is also an example of onomatopoeia. Brush up on your knowledge of this technique with examples from In the Snack-bar with this National 5 English revision video.

Slowly he levers himself up

The adverb"slowly" emphasises the careful, cautious movements of the man and the word choice of "levers" really emphasises the laboriousness of the man’s movements.

The speaker’s focus changes to describing the man's physical appearance. We are told how the man’s back forms a "dismal hump" which is "looming over him".

The word choice here paints a vivid picture of the old man’s appearance. The speaker is drawn to the signs of the man's disability rather than the man himself. The choice of the miserable, unpleasant adjective "dismal" elicits a sympathetic response from both the speaker and the reader. The words suggest the man's situation is bleak.

His hunched back is described as "looming", creating the impression that it is almost malevolent, deliberately enforcing misery upon the man as though it is a separate entity and not connected to him. It suggests a large scale, which could reflect the man's real appearance or the speaker's presumption that this disability dominates the man.

The simile used to capture the impression of how the man looks in his large coat -

like a monstrous animal caught in a tent

This example is particularly evocative. The old man is compared to a frightening creature, ensnared and struggling to escape. Everything about him seems to isolate him and emphasise his differences.

His physical appearance is described in suggest the speaker finds him frightening. Here Morgan reveals the distasteful side of human nature that makes us so quick to judge; often reluctant to show compassion and kindness to those who need it most.

the face not seen

Morgan continues to describe the physical appearance of the man. The speaker literally cannot see the man's face because of his posture. He is "bent down" with his face "in shadow". The words continue to dehumanise the man - "the face" rather than his face.

The speaker then takes in more information about the man's disability:

I notice now his stick, once painted white/but scuffed and muddy, hanging from his right arm.

This is an effective description that pieces together detail quickly:

• The white stick shows the man is blind.
• That it is "scuffed and muddy" suggests he has been using it for a long time.
• "Hanging from his right arm" suggests he may have issues using the stick, confirmed by Morgan going on to say he is "half paralysed".

The sentence structure of the final line conveys the man’s slow speech which mimics his careful, deliberate movements later in the poem. The use of dashes in the line suggests a staccato quality to what he says:

I want - to go to the - toilet

This may indicate the man’s patient, considered approach but may also reveal a certain helplessness.

The line is not a question but a statement, yet we understand that such a statement, when considered alongside the man’s appearance and the white stick that shows he is blind, is a request for assistance.

Although the speaker noted in stanza one that "a few heads turn" and are aware of the man, stanza two opens with the speaker the only one helping the man, already accompanying him towards the stairs, Morgan’s use of repetition and word choice serve to emphasise their slow progress.

Inch by inch we drift towards the stairs.

The repetition of “inch” reinforces the small, tentative steps the pair take and reveals their careful, cautious movements.

The speaker, having agreed to help, is governed by the needs of the man. The choice of the verb "drift", coupled with this repetition, strengthens this idea. If something drifts it gradually moves off course. Here we see the patience of the speaker as he guides the man. We see how dependent the blind man must be to rely so heavily and so frequently on the assistance of others.

The use of a list helps to highlight the sequence of sounds and hazards the pair face on their journey. The physical dangers become obvious (the wet patches on the floor, the edges of the tables, people’s feet) and we understand that, ironically, the speaker must become more aware of his surroundings, identifying the unseen dangers the man will encounter. His senses must be heightened in order to compensate for the difficulties of his charge.

The different sounds and smells described help to punctuate their journey and we get an impression of the blind man’s experience as the speaker guides him to the stairs - he is reliant on touch, smell and hearing to provide a picture of his surroundings. Though these lines describe a few steps, the vivid detail (the range of sensations and observations detailed in the list) emphasises the agonisingly slow progress of the pair.

Morgan’s use of verbs during their journey down the stairs reveals the caution of the blind man and the support offered by the speaker:

He clings to me. The stick / is in his left hand, probing the treads.

The word "clings" tells us how tightly the man holds onto the speaker, all too aware of the danger that the stairs present to him. We are told how the man uses his stick, "probing" the next steps and this also shows his careful nature as he methodically checks for obstacles.

The speaker aids the man, telling us how "I guide his arm". Once again, the verb helps us to understand the situation and the patience of both men as the speaker allows the man the time he needs, helping him as required.

The repetition of "And slowly we go down. And slowly we go down" emphasises the time the journey takes and underlines the painstaking progress of the man and the speaker. This helps us to see their deliberate steps and the steady, measured pace. What this shows us is that the man’s entire life necessitates patience and caution. A flight of stairs becomes a perilous obstacle and, left alone, the man is helpless.

As they finally reach their destination, Morgan’s word choice draws a contrast between the old man and the toilet. We are told that the man looks "uncouth" in the "clinical toilet". "Uncouth" suggests that he looks coarse and out of place against the stark, sterile surroundings. This reminds us of the unflattering description of the man earlier in the poem.

As the man relieves himself, Morgan turns the "trickle of his water" into a metaphor which is testament to the old man’s embarrassing, helpless predicament. The comparison to an "apology" suggests a feeble, lifeless quality to the man. Choosing to use this metaphor indicates a degree of sympathy for the old man - not pity, necessarily, but recognition and empathy that such a fundamental, straightforward task should present such a struggle.

The use of the simple, stuttering question once again reminds us that the man depends upon the cooperation of others.

Can I – wash my hands?

The dash, used again could suggest a tentative quality to the man’s words as if he is uncertain of a positive response. Or perhaps the effort of the journey has left him too short of breath to ask the question in one phrase. The man’s frailty is a lasting image in this section.

The adverbs "feebly" and "patiently" help us to see how slowly and deliberately the man moves as he washes his hands. The word choice suggests a lack of strength and vitality in his actions. The adverb "gently" also suggests some care and patience, this time from the speaker who moves the man’s hands towards the dryer. We are aware of a growing connection between the speaker and the man as they are now involved in this simple yet intimate act of hand washing.

Repetition is used once again in the closing lines of the central stanza. Here, as earlier in the poem, it emphasises the slow movements of the pair. The repetition of "He climbs" and "And slowly we go up" mirror the earlier "And slowly we go down" and underline the gradual progress they make as they return to the main part of the café.

By using repetition, Morgan reinforces the arduousness and effort involved in carrying out the simplest of tasks and we are able to glimpse for a moment the difficulty of this man’s existence.

Morgan reveals his growing admiration for the man when he describes how he moves with:

that one / persisting patience of the undefeated / which is the nature of man.

Then we have near repetition, with a paradox that complicate the speaker's view of the man. "The faltering, not faltering steps" suggests the physical difficulty of the man's movement is somehow overcome by the man's determination.

What the speaker recognises is that, though the man’s progress is painfully slow, it is progress. He is testament to the determination of humanity, which is all the more impressive when we consider the extent of his physical limitations.

Another pardox emphasises the point: "across that endless, yet not endless waste" tells us the man's difficult journey will reach its end. Is he referring to the trek through the snack-bar, or the man's progress through life?

Finally, the man leaves the snack bar out of the speaker’s life, and boards a bus. Morgan’s word choice once again reminds us of the man’s unsteady movements. The bus "shudders" as it moves and this motion mimics those of the man.

The final stanza of In the Snack-bar is devoted to a reflection upon the man’s situation. The opening lines state, in frank terms, the speaker's view that the man is dependent on others for all his needs.

He reflects on the man's separation from the rest of society:

No one sees his face.

This shows how the speaker's view of the man has changed. Previously he referred to "the face" but now "his face", as if he now sees the man as a man, not just as an object or "monstrous animal".

The man’s appearance is a particular focus for the speaker who describes his hands as:

like wet leaves / stuck to the half-white stick.

The simile compares the man’s hands to limp, wet leaves emphasising his feebleness and lack of strength. Once again, this is an image that reinforces the man’s infirmity as he clutches the cane which guides his movements. The appearance of the man is also what other people, including the speaker, wrongfully judge on first encountering him. The speaker realises that:

His life depends on many who would evade him.

The choice of the verb "evade" to describe the reactions of many who see the man allows us to appreciate his helplessness. This suggests a calculated effort by those around the man to avoid him, to deliberately and wilfully ignore his need for help.

The choice of this word suggests a pessimistic view of society where helping others in need is something which people might avoid doing. We get an impression that, while the speaker helped the man, we could not be certain that others would. Even the speaker had mixed feelings about the man at the outset of the poem.

In the Snack-bar ends with a nihilistic howl of despair as the speaker finally releases his emotions:

Dear Christ, to be born for this!

The anguished appeal to "Dear Christ" is loaded with irony, since the teachings of Christ are founded on showing kindness and compassion to those most in need. The tone is almost accusatory, as though the speaker is angry that anyone should be born into an existence such as "this".

The final line, then, conveys not only the speaker’s frustration and pity for the old man, but also his anger and disgust for a society which can so easily ignore the most vulnerable and weak in our communities. In doing so, he exposes this unpalatable situation and forces us to confront our own attitudes and responsibilities to people in similar situations.

In the Snack-bar by Edwin Morgan focuses on just one individual, seen through the eyes of the speaker. The speaker isn't presented straightforwardly as a good Samaritan, but a real person with complex and shifting views on this man, showing how vulnerable the man really is as he navigates society and encounters people with all kinds of preconceived notions and opinions:

yet he must trust men.

Other people judge the man's appearance and disabilities, the speaker admits he is "frightening" - the "few heads" that turn in the snack bar do not rush to help or check that the man is okay. This contrast between this very isolated figure, and the intimacy of the scene where the speaker helps him go to the toilet and wash his hands, is marked, and shifts the speaker's perception. The support they are giving the old man is also enriching their perspective - showing them some reality and aspects of life that they previously did not understand. The power of this empathy for others in society is what drives this poem.

Connected to this theme of society, Morgan attempts to describe how powerful acts of humanity are and what a difference small gestures can make. He does this from the position of the speaker, rather than the man himself, so the true impact and what the man feels about it is not clear to the reader.

However, what is clear is that in the time and place of the poem, there is little assistance or support given to a man in need of it. The speaker obviously assists the man in going to the toilet, but afterwards reflects that many people (including the speaker themselves) might have chosen not to help him:

His life depends on many who would evade him.

The strength and closeness the speaker feels in assisting this stranger overrides in the end his initial fears, and as the man departs the scene, the speaker sees his next interaction:

The conductor bends to hear where he wants to go.

This represents another human, small act but another moment where the man's safety is dependent on the kindness or service of another.

The exclamation at the end, ("Dear Christ, to be born for this!") could be interpreted as a howl of despair as the speaker judges the man's existence and presumes its impact. It can also be read as the speaker's realisation about how hard it is to have to continually place yourself in the hands of strangers to get through the day.

Like many of Edwin Morgan's poems, including Trio, Glasgow Sonnet (I), and Death in Duke Street, In the Snack-bar is written almost as an account of something the speaker experiences or observes while out in the city. The poem has a similar structure to Trio, where the observations of the speaker result in them making some wider comment about society and humanity, however, the bleak tone of In the Snack-bar has more in common with Glasgow Sonnet (I). The focus on unpleasant, grim details designed to make the reader feel uneasy is present in both poems.

However, it is Death in Duke Street that is the most direct comparison with In the Snack-bar. In both poems, the speaker observes someone publicly in need of help, and how those around them choose to act, or avoid the situation. In Death in Duke Street, the speaker maintains this detached stance, while in In the Snack-bar, the speaker is an active participant and assists the stranger, assuming the role of the young woman and youth in *Death in Duke Street".

The sense of belonging at the end of Death in Duke Street, where the people "hold him very tight" is what Morgan sees in the happy camaraderie in Trio, and what the blind man depends upon every day in In the Snack-bar.

The love poetry of Morgan's serves as something of a contrast, however, his appeal is always to our shared humanity - in Love, he writes simply, "Love rules." The loving kindness shown by strangers is part of this, as Morgan describes different kinds and aspects of love, not simply the romantic.

What all the poems in the set have in common is Morgan's eye for detail. He notes very specific image, such as the "scuffed and muddy" white stick, the "wet coats steaming" in this poem, the "blue plates" in Strawberries, the "chipped sill" in Glasgow Sonnet (I). This creates a sense of realism that anchors the poet's broader thinking on the human condition in everyday acts and circumstances that it is easy to relate to.

Revise In the Snack-bar and other poems by Edwin Morgan with interactive quizzes for National 5 English.