Time Poetry

In "To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell, it is apparent that time is of essence. However, while the author does not talk about savoring time, it focuses more on how we must do things now in the moment, because will run out of time. Marvell also imagines what it would be like if it were different--if time wasn't a factor. This creates emphasis on the fact that time will not stop for anything. Marvell chooses to talk about how we should do everything now, in this moment, because tomorrow it may be too late. While he contemplates that even "though we cannot make our sun stand still," we have power to "make [the sun] run," by taking advantage of the time we have. In MacLeish's "You, Andrew Marvell," he describes the time passing as if he's watching it happen right before his eyes. It appears that he is removed from the poem altogether, looking down from the heavens upon life moving forward as time does not stand still. The sun rises and sets each day, stopping for no one (also a point made in Marvell's poem). He creates imagery describing "the sails above the shadowy hulls" are fading as the sun goes down, "slowly disappear[ing]" from view. Mark Strand's essay, reflecting upon the matter of time passing, perfectly describes the way in which these two poems capture the feeling of "internaliz[ing] the huge impersonality of time, and how it makes the visual record of ascending night into a private matter instead of simply a geographic one." He clearly depicts his view on the poems and what it means as time is passing--what that has to do with our humanity.

The power of poetry and experience of life go hand in hand when it comes to these poems. The view of mortality through the depiction of the passing of time puts our lives into perspective--we can see that we must live in the moment, and not waste time focusing on things that don't matter because ain't nobody got time for that. I can definitely relate to these poems. I often think about how time isn't going to stop for me, or for anyone around me. This thought, while harsh, is one that we all must keep in mind so that we don't lose any vital time in our lives. We must keep pressing through the time crunches--that's the only way we'll keep our heads surfaced.