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Theme analysis of the poem “There are delicacies” by Earle Birney
In poetry, writers use words to inform, warn, educate or entertain the audience. As part of literature, poetry has been developing over the years although the authenticity of a poet remains in his or her ability to use metaphors and allusions to produce a meaningful work. Therefore, some poets write poems that are a puzzle that the audience has to solve by analyzing rhetoric applied so as to extract the meaning of a poem. In the poem, Birney has explored the theme of the nature of how human life is fragile and unpredictable. The poet has also poised that we do not have so much time in our lives and people require the assistance of others to meet human needs. Earle Birney has utilized figurative language in the poem “There are delicacies” to explore the theme human life.
In the poem “There are delicacies”, Earle Birney has explored the theme of how fragile human life is. Birney equates human life with the fragility of a watch “Like the hearts of watches”. In the poem, Birney also argues that human life is usually very short… “There is so little time”. Therefore, the poet’s advice to the readers is to ensure that one completes his or her duties in perfection. This is because the chance of doing so will be unavailable forever after death. Indeed, our bodies are mortal and nobody will live forever. Earle Birney further the theme of fragility of human life arguing that people should seize the given to them to live on earth. The chance should be used to accomplish an individual’s desires. Historically, people usually live around 100 years except some figures mentioned in religious books such as the Bible who lived for hundreds of years. Therefore, Birney demonstrates that human beings have a limited life. The life people live is prone to a premature end that can result from accidents, diseases, and calamities. The uncertainty of our lives makes it necessary to live each day as our last on earth as were strive to perfect our duties, desires and responsibilities that have been bestowed on us.
In the poem “There are delicacies”, Earle Birney has identified the ironic and ridiculous aspect of human life. Birney claims that in human life …there are wheels that turn on the tips of rubies and tiny intricate locks.” The poet likens human life with the hearts of watches with wheels that turn on. Birney wants to show how beautiful and complex life can be despite some challenges that people have to face. Human life also has tiny intricate locks such as victory, defeat, and at times sorrow. The intricate locks Birney is referring to could come in the form of joy, pleasure, success, and comfort. Therefore, Birney implies that life can easily be broken or damaged. Life is indeed very short and it can be taken in an instant. People should have fun as they live their life while remembering that it is uncertain and should not be taken for granted. In the theme of the nature of human life, Birney has implies that it is delicate and nothing can secure a safe existence. As the poet has suggested “there is so little time” as even a small disruption may cause injury or fatality since time and death are ultimate sentries. There is no guarantee in life and disasters can strike at anybody leading one to require the assistance of the other people. However, it is always to face the fragility of life.
On the other hand, in the poem, Birney further explores the theme of human life and how it could sometimes be full of pain. Therefore, the pain in life requires that we have to bear and that is why on may “need your help to contrive keys”. The poet implies that at times life we have to face defeat, misery, and other problems. As such, in life there is no one who is strong and powerful and does not experience suffering, struggle, and failure. It is not every moment in life that is beautiful since we have to encounter difficulties as we strive to achieve success. Therefore, Birney implies that there is the need for people to be always ready to face challenges and adversity in life. As human beings, we need other people to encourage us and help persevere the challenges. Human beings are always toiling and sweating out so as to nourish and sustain their success in life. Besides, in the poem Birney argues that people should not think that their life will last forever. He states that “there is so little time and even for the finest of watches”. By this Birney implies that good times in ones’ life do not last forever. Sometimes some people become disillusioned that life is a bed of roses and they later become victims of frustration and depression. These kinds of individuals are likely to succumb to pressure during difficulties. On the other hand, those people who understand that life is short tend to face their difficulties in life with courage. Besides, they usually accept their success in life without letting it go and eventually experience real happiness, peace, and contentment.
In conclusion, Earle Birney in the poem “There are delicacies” has used figurative language to explore the theme of fragility of human life. In the poem, the poet has used a simile of the hearts of watches to demonstrate how brittle human life can be. The poem also talk of the tiny intricate locks that depict challenges in life that people face where some overcome them. Those who accept challenges in life are likely to emerge successful while those who do not contrive the keys fail to live their lives to its true senses. Finally, the poet has poised that even the finest of watches have to understand that that there is so little time to enjoy life and bear the pricks of pain.
Work Cited
Earle Birney “There are delicacies”, https://coracias.tumblr.com/post/31128156893/there-are-delicacies