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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
In Eleanor Wilner's poem "What It Hinges On," the poet explores the sudden and often unforeseen shifts that can upend our meticulously crafted plans and expectations. The poem opens with a sense of progression, as if everything is moving toward an inevitable conclusion. This sense of inevitability is disrupted by a "creak," symbolizing an unexpected change, much like a rusty hinge warning of an intruder. The wind changing direction captures the essence of unpredictability, altering the course of events as if a new force has taken hold. The imagery of a cage door opening or a lid slamming shut serves to illustrate the abruptness and duality of such changes—either liberating or confining. Wilner's use of "smoke" and "torn paper" evokes the fragility of human plans, emphasizing how quickly and easily they can disintegrate into chaos. This imagery of destruction and dispersal—confetti swirling in the air, fragments of a once coherent letter—depicts the aftermath of unexpected events that leave our efforts scattered and meaningless. The reference to "the field / that lies outside the town that flood / or fire took back" situates these personal disruptions within the larger context of natural disasters and the unstoppable forces of nature. The "great tectonic / plates" grinding below the sea symbolize the powerful and unseen forces constantly at work, shaping our world beyond our control. Wilner delves deeper into the existential, suggesting that these upheavals are part of a larger, inscrutable mechanism that governs life. The earth's "restless sleep" and the unseen hand that "spun" it imply a cosmic order or force, indifferent to human intentions. This hand, described as "no hand," hints at the impersonal nature of fate or destiny, a force beyond human comprehension or influence. In the closing lines, Wilner addresses the human tendency to misattribute control and power. The notion of smiting enemies is revealed to be self-destructive, as the fist symbolizes not just aggression but also a form of blindness. The image of being "curled, blind / as newborn kittens, in the palm" conveys vulnerability and helplessness, contrasting sharply with the earlier illusion of control. "What It Hinges On" ultimately reflects on the tenuousness of human agency and the unpredictable forces that shape our lives. Wilner's masterful use of vivid imagery and metaphor underscores the poem's central themes: the fragility of human endeavors, the unexpected turns of fate, and the illusion of control. The poem resonates as a meditation on acceptance and the humility required to navigate a world where certainty is an illusion, and change is the only constant.
| Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...CONTRA MORTEM: THE ECSTASY by HAYDEN CARRUTH WINTER'S EVENING HYMN TO MY FIRE by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL MAUBERLEY: 5. MEDALLION by EZRA POUND THE MALLARDS PASS UNHARMED by LAURA FRANCES ALEXANDER HELLENS RAPE; OR A LIGHT LANTHORNE FOR LIGHT LADIES by RICHARD BARNFIELD PROVERBS 25, SELECTION by OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE GEORGE WASHINGTON by LAURA REW BIXBY TANNHAUSER; OR, THE BATTLE OF THE BARDS by EDWARD ROBERT BULWER-LYTTON BALLAD TO THE TUNE - 'AND WILL YOU NOW TO PEACE INCLINE' by PATRICK CAREY |
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