Analysis of These Sunsets
Wave goodbye and wish me well
for roads yet conquered lie ahead
pockmarked, marred by concrete swells
touched by souls alive and dead
their footsteps washed by sands so fine,
but not mine.
Streets split to form two separate paths
one light, one dark in fading light
both grasped by time and its aftermath
and weeds that tangle, creak, and fight
as roots and glowing ghosts collide,
on the other side.
A barrier of molten gold
put up by no one said or known
that waxes, wanes with tales untold
its peak worn down by winds once blown
while voices hiss of pain and loss,
and walls to cross.
I take a step toward lands unseen
the future fire in my hair
gasping in their darkened sheen
my throat closed tight, devoid of air
when an alley appears with no signs to stake it,
so I take it.
The moon shines angel white above
pure as need and innocence
with eyes that witness earthly love
rays gently stroking a picket fence
awaiting me in fields of clover,
to be leapt over.
I lift my leg and skirt the gate
my fingers grazing chipped blue paint
not hindered by the hand of fate
though cautiously, or else I faint
I lie down in the dewy grass,
and sassafras.
Tomorrow dawns a crystal day
my options spread like blades of green
each promising as empty trays
in wait behind a silver screen
but laughter hits me, the greatest prize
and these sunsets pale
beside this sunrise.
Scheme | XAXABB XCXCDD EFEFGG HIHIJJ KXKXLL MNMNOO XHXHPXP |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 110111 11110101 111011 1110101 1111111 111 11111101 11110101 11110110 01110101 11010101 10101 01001101 11111111 11011101 11111111 11011101 0111 110101101 01010011 1001101 11110111 111001111111 1111 01110101 1110100 11110101 110100101 010101110 11110 11110101 11010111 11010111 11001111 11100101 010 0110101 11011111 11001101 01010101 110110101 0111 0111 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,321 |
Words | 254 |
Sentences | 7 |
Stanzas | 7 |
Stanza Lengths | 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 7 |
Lines Amount | 43 |
Letters per line (avg) | 25 |
Words per line (avg) | 6 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 156 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 36 |
Font size:
Submitted on May 01, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:16 min read
- 6 Views
Citation
Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"These Sunsets" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 8 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/88437/these-sunsets>.
Discuss this Joelle Nanula poem analysis with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In