this moment

1st line of this moment

“This Moment” is a short lyric with universal appeal. Borland evocatively captures the experience of a passing moment in time using arresting short staccato sentences and imagery that is both vivid and striking

Both vivid and striking

The poet sets the scene in the opening lines “a neighbourhood at dusk”.

“A neighbourhood at dusk”

Dusk is a amyloid time of transition, the atmosphere is one of intensity and the anonymous setting strangely familiar. Stillness and dramatic anticipation intensifies further in the lines “things ar getting ready to happen out of sight”

The speaker considers some…

The speakers considers some of natures wonders “stars and moths” and in the twilight everything seem smysterious, even the sensuously appealing “rinds slanting around fruits”

This moment is…

This moment is a short lyric with universal appeal. Borland evocatively captures the experience of a fleeting moment in time using a resting short staccato sentences and imagery that is both vivid and striking. The poem sets the scene in the opening lines. “A neighbourhood at dusk”. Dusk is symbolic of a time of transition, the atmosphere is one of intensity and the anymous setting strangely familiar. Stillness and dramatic anticipation iis further intensified in he lines “things are getting ready to happen out of sight”. The speaker considers some of natures wonders, “stars and moths” and in the twilight everything seem smysterious, even the sensuously appealing “rinds slanting around fruits”

around fruits”

The dramatic stand alone line “but not yet” helps to delay the moment and further evoke the sense of natural calmness the two vivid images conveying a startling colour contrast “one tree is black, one window as yellow as butter” beautifully intensifies the moment itself.

The stri

The striking metaphor “as yellow as butter” has a cinematic effect and the repetition of “one” helps to focus the readers attention as we await he dramatic moment when “a woman leans down to catch a child who has run into her arms this moment”

“A woman …

“A woman leans down to catch a child who has run into her arms this moment”. This central image conveys unconditional love and has universal significance, adding to the memorable entire of the poem as it suggests the importance of peoples feelings transcending over time and place.

Transcending time and place…………

And then the moment is over, suggesting the ever changing quality of life, as conveyed in the lines:”stars rise/ moths flutter/ apples sweeten in the dark”. The sibilant ‘s’ sound and the triad of positive verbs help to convey the celebratory mood and the joy of everyday relationships.

Last line O this moment

This extraordinarily beautiful poem, written in a vividly sensuous way, captures the beauty of life and reminds us all of the importance of every moment in time

Second part…. Rind slanting around fruits……

The dramatic stand alone line “but not yet” helps to delay the moment and further evoke the sense of natural calmness. The two vivid images conveying a startling colour contrast “one tree is lack/ one window as yellow as butter” beautifully intensifies the moment itself. The striking simile “as yellow as butter” has a cinematic effect and the religion of “one” helps to focus the readers attention as we await the dramatic moment when “a woman leans down to catch a child who has run into her arms/ this moment” this central images conveys unconditional love and has universal significance, adding t the memorable nature of teh poem as it suggests the importance of peoples feelings transcending over time and place. And then the moment is over, suggesting the ever-changing quality of life, as is conveyed in the lines “stars rise/ moths flutter/ apples sweeten in the dark” the sibilant “s” sound and the triad of positive verbs helps to convey the celebratory mood and the joy of everyday relationships this extraordinarily beautiful poem, written in a vividly sensuous way, captures teh beauty of life and reminds us all o the importance of every moment in time.

2nd poem- opening line EB!

Another compelling and beautifully written poem by Boland is the sobering 'Child of our Time'. This thought-provoking poem was inspired by the tragic death of a young child in a terrorist bomb, as well as the death of a friend's child from a cot-death, and is a response to the sudden and unexpected deaths of all young children.

ALL YOUNG CHILDREN……….

Moreover, the poem is also addressed to adults and challenges them to change their ways

THE OPENING D….

The opening dramatic line,

"Yesterday I knew no lullaby/But you have taught me overnight to order/This song" captures the essence of the poem as she speaks directly to the dead child.

ANOTHER….CHILD

Another compelling a n d beautifully written p o e m b y Boland i s t h e sobering 'Child of o u r

Time'. This thought-provoking p o e m w a s inspired b y the tragic d e a t h of a y o u n g child i n a

terrorist bomb, a s well a s t h e d e a t h of a friend's child from a cot-death, a n d i s a r e s p o n s e t o

the sudden and unexpected deaths o f all young children. Moreover, t h e p o e m i s also

addressed to adults and challenges them to change their ways. The opening dramatic line

"Yesterday I knew no lullaby/But you have taught me overnight to order/This song" capture the essence of the poem as she speaks directly to the dead child.

SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO DEAD CHILD…..

The speaker has been taught to sing a lullaby which is different as the child's violent and tragic death demands a response: "which takes from your final cry/lts tune, from your unreasoned end its reason."

A TONE OF…..

A tone of indignation captures t h e mood of t h e poet a s s h e tries desperately t o comprehend

the tragic death of the child: "It rhythm from the discord of your murder". The simple but

jarring and paradoxical language captures the finality of death i n a memorable way.

MEMORABLE WAY… IN STANZA TWO…….

In stanza two, the speaker solemnly states "We who should have known how t o instruct"

directly addressing the adult world, and compassionately references aspects of the child's

life: "rhymes for your waking", "the animals you took to bed", "tales to distract" and "legends

to distract". "

THE USE OF IM………

The use of the imperative in "And living, learn, must learn from you, dead“ PLACES RESPONSIBILITY ON THE ADULTS IN SOCIETY AND THIS INSISTENT TONE IS CONTINUED INTO STANZA THREE WITH “TO MAKE OUR BROKEN IMAGE REBUILD/ THEMSELVES AROUND YOUR LIMBS”

This INSITENT tone is carried into stanza 3 with….

To make our broken image rebuild themselves around your limbs

The visceral……….. (last 2 line)

The visceral metaphor "our times have robbed your cradle" leads to a note of prayer and hope in the final line of the poem: "Sleep in a world your final sleep has woken." It is a wish that the world may be woken to its senses by his death, a universal plea which is just as relevant in 2023 as it was back in 1974.