Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"The Edges of Time" is a poem by Kay Ryan, an American poet born in 1945. The poem was first published in Ryan's 2008 poetry collection, "The Niagara River." The poem explores the nature of time and our relationship to it.

Explanation:

"The Edges of Time" is a meditation on the nature of time and our place in the world. The poem begins by suggesting that time is a vast and mysterious force that we can never fully understand. The speaker suggests that we are constantly caught between the past and the future, always on the edge of time. The poem goes on to explore the idea that time is always moving forward, and that we can never go back or change what has already happened. The poem concludes by suggesting that we should embrace the present moment, even though it is fleeting, and appreciate the beauty of the world around us.

Poetic Elements:

• Metaphor: time is portrayed as a vast and mysterious force
• Imagery: the poem includes vivid descriptions of nature and the passage of time
• Rhyme scheme: the poem has a consistent ABAB rhyme scheme
• Repetition: the phrase "edges of time" is repeated throughout the poem for emphasis

Conclusion:

"The Edges of Time" is a powerful meditation on the nature of time and our place in the world. The poem encourages us to embrace the present moment and appreciate the beauty of the world around us, even though it is fleeting and constantly changing.

 Poem Snippet:

"We get to keep/only a few precious things"

"We are always/On the edges of time"

"But we are here and/Hungering for a look"

"We can only step/into the same river once"