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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
John Hollander's "Garden Sundial" is a shaped poem that captures the essence of time through the metaphor of a sundial. The poem's structure, reminiscent of the sundial's hour markings, enhances its meditation on the passage of time and the specific moment of noon. The poem's layout visually mimics the radial lines of a sundial, with numbers ascending and descending to represent hours on the face of the dial. This visual representation underscores the central theme of time's passage and its cyclical nature. The poem begins with the numerical progression of hours: "1 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / seven eight nine ten eleven." This sequence leads up to "and here we are again at the high wide center," highlighting the significance of the noon hour, which is metaphorically referred to as the "high wide center" of the day. This moment is described as one that "no sound of bell defers," suggesting its intrinsic importance and the fact that it is marked by the sun rather than by human intervention. The speaker then utters "four solemn words": HORAS / SOLIS / SOLUM / ENUMERO. These Latin words, translating to "I count only the hours of the sun," emphasize the sundial's function and its exclusive reliance on sunlight to mark time. The sundial is portrayed as a silent, wise observer of time, with its "wise reticence" and silhouetted form representing its strength and dignity. At noon, a specific moment of interaction is depicted: "And just at noon a dark slash touches the initial s / of the third of those words." This imagery captures the precise alignment of the sundial's shadow with the word "SOLUM," emphasizing the accuracy and simplicity of this ancient timekeeping device. Through its shape and content, "Garden Sundial" reflects on the natural, unadorned passage of time. Hollander's choice of words and the poem's structure invite readers to appreciate the elegance and precision of the sundial, as well as the timeless wisdom it represents. The poem serves as a reminder of the beauty in the simplicity of natural phenomena and their ability to mark time with quiet, unwavering constancy.
| Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE MOTTO ON THE SUNDIAL by KENNETH REXROTH THE SONG OF THE DIAL by PETER AIREY THE SUNDIAL by HENRY AUSTIN DOBSON THE SUNDIAL by RICHARD SOLOMON GEDNEY ON THE NEEDLE OF A SUN-DIAL by FRANCIS QUARLES THE SHADOW ON THE DIAL by LIZETTE WOODWORTH REESE FOR KATRINA'S SUN-DIAL; IN HER GARDEN OF YADOO by HENRY VAN DYKE THE SUN-DIAL AT MORVEN; FOR BAYARD AND HELEN STOCKTON by HENRY VAN DYKE THE SUN-DIAL AT WELLS COLLEGE by HENRY VAN DYKE INSCRIPTION ON A SUN-DIAL, FOR DR. HENRY I. BOWDITCH by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER SENT ON A SHEET OF PAPER WITH A HEART SHAPE CUT OUT OF THE MIDDLE OF IT by JOHN HOLLANDER |
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