Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Proximity of Clock to Lock" is a poem by Claudia Rankine that was first published in the anthology "The New American Poets: A Bread Loaf Anthology" in 2000.

Explanation:

The poem is a meditation on time and how it shapes and defines our lives. The speaker reflects on the way time seems to speed up as we get older, and the way it seems to move at different speeds depending on our circumstances. The title itself suggests the idea of proximity or closeness, and the poem explores the ways in which different things are connected and how they influence one another.

Poetic Elements:

• Form: The poem consists of five stanzas, each with four lines. The lines are of varying lengths, and the poem does not follow a strict rhyme scheme or meter.
• Imagery: The poem is filled with vivid sensory imagery, such as the sound of a clock ticking, the sight of a lock on a door, and the feeling of wind blowing through a window.
• Repetition: The phrase "the clock ticks" is repeated throughout the poem, creating a sense of urgency and emphasizing the theme of time.
• Metaphor: The clock and the lock are used as metaphors for time and our attempts to control it.

Conclusion:

"Proximity of Clock to Lock" is a thought-provoking poem that invites the reader to contemplate the nature of time and its influence on our lives. Through its use of vivid imagery and metaphor, the poem captures the way time seems to speed up and slow down, and the way it can feel both comforting and oppressive.

Poem Snippet:

"The clock ticks and the lock clicks shut.

We move through time like a clock through its hours,

our hands sweeping round and round in a never-ending

circle of days and nights, each one slipping away."

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