|
|
Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
"This Moment" by Eavan Boland is a beautifully understated poem that captures a fleeting moment of domestic tranquility and the anticipation of nightfall. Through its simple yet evocative imagery, Boland explores themes of motherhood, nature, and the passage of time, highlighting the beauty and significance of everyday moments. The poem begins by setting the scene in "A neighbourhood. / At dusk." This time of day, with its fading light and the onset of evening, serves as a backdrop for the events about to unfold "out of sight." Boland creates a sense of expectancy, a world on the brink of transformation as day turns to night. This moment of transition, where "Things are getting ready / to happen," evokes the natural cycles of the world and the small, unnoticed changes that constantly occur around us. The mention of "Stars and moths. / And rinds slanting around fruit" further emphasizes the natural world's quiet movements as it responds to the coming of night. The imagery is rich with the promise of change: stars beginning to shine, moths emerging into the twilight, and fruit continuing to ripen in the unseen hours. These elements, though not yet fully visible or complete, contribute to the sense of a world filled with ongoing, subtle transformations. The poem then shifts focus to a tender domestic scene: "A woman leans down to catch a child / who has run into her arms / this moment." This image of a mother and child is central to the poem, capturing an instance of connection and love that is both ordinary and extraordinary. Boland's use of "this moment" underscores the poem's theme, highlighting the significance of the present and the deep, often overlooked, beauty found in everyday interactions. The closing lines of the poem, "Stars rise. / Moths flutter. / Apples sweeten in the dark," mirror the opening, bringing the reader full circle. These lines reaffirm the natural world's quiet progression and the sweetness of life that continues to unfold, even in darkness. The poem leaves us with a sense of peace and a heightened awareness of the world's simple, profound beauty. "This Moment" is a testament to Boland's ability to find depth and meaning in the minutiae of daily life. Through her careful attention to detail and her evocative use of imagery, Boland invites readers to pause and appreciate the present moment—its fleeting beauty, its connection to the natural world, and its place within the continuum of time.
| Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HAVING INTENDED TO MERELY PICK ON AN OIL COMPANY, THE POEM GOES AWRY by HICOK. BOB BLACK NIKES by HARRYETTE MULLEN ISLE OF MULL, SCOTLAND by NAOMI SHIHAB NYE SABBATH, 1985, VI by WENDELL BERRY PLANTING TREES by WENDELL BERRY THE OLD ELM TREE BY THE RIVER by WENDELL BERRY |
| |