Emotion
Seen in the poem "Crying", emotion is an important aspect to grasp in Galway Kinnell's writing. The speaker of the poem has been through some hard times, but keeps firm her notion that crying is something that should happen rarely. Instead of keeping everything inside, and crying a little about a lot, you should let everything out at once. This is meant to help you stay happier in the long run, and gives the idea that you shouldn't try to keep everything inside.
Paranoia
Seen especially in the poem "Telephoning in Mexican Sunlight", paranoia is something that should be avoided. The main character of this poem feels that everyone is looking at him, and he is the center of attention. However, this is almost rarely the case, so you should not get yourself worked up over nothing. Instead, try to stay calm and realize, when you do have something important to say, people will listen. The only person that will remember every little mistake you make is yourself, and those mistakes are not meant to be used against you.
Universal Connection
Many times, it is easy to imagine that everything runs on cycles, and the fact that these cycles exist connect them together. The main character of the poem "Daybreak" feels just this, and notices that the starfish on the beach look like the stars in the sky, and they disappear with the day. The author is trying to convey the fact that, while the physical features of each cycle may be the same, everything in the world has some sort of connectedness, and there is order to everything.
