Physical Reminders
In “Marking Time,” the narrator describes a particularly lustful encounter he has with his female love. It was during this sexual romp that physical marks—scars—were left on the woman’s back. The narrator describes how these marks, though they may fade, will never completely disappear. In this way, both the narrator and his love will forever be reminded of this sexual encounter and will be able to reflect upon it fondly. In this way, this poem encapsulates the idea that physical scars—whether they be good or bad—have a unique ability to transport us back to a specific time and place. Memories are tethered to and a part of these physical reminders, and they help us to recall key moments in our lives.
The Lost Lives of War
The poem “Mametz Wood” describes a sobering battlefield that has physically captured its fallen dead. Each year, farmers discover more and more bones of dead soldiers. This poem perfectly captures how the Earth can sometimes claim and then relinquish the lives of dead individuals. With each new bone or body discovered, more and more soldiers are finally able to find peace and more families are able to find closure. As a result, “Mametz Wood” captures the immense loss that is associated with war but can sometimes be re-claimed after terrible tragedy. The recovery of the bodies helps the dead soldiers to In short, this poem captures the physical loss that is associated with war and battle. The constant re-discovering of bones shows how those physical reminders may never leave. In this way the dead soldiers are never forgotten.
The Art of the Trade
In “The Farrier,” author Owen Sheets details a day in the life of a farrier. A farrier is a craftsman who is tasked with tending to horses—specifically their hooves. Sheets likens the farrier to an automobile mechanic. He explains that tending to horses is an art, a science, as precise as fixing cars. In this way, Sheets supports craftsmen and their trade and suggests that they should be just as valued as other, more traditional menders. He supports this argument by suggesting that horse-tending requires precision and skill; just as a mechanic must be precise and knowledgeable when they tend to a car, so too must farrier must be precise and knowledgeable when they tend to a horse’s hooves. In short, Sheets aims to support underappreciated tradesmen and uses the farrier as an example. His poem shows how tradesmen utilize just as much precision and care for their trades as more traditional craftsmen—making their work an art form.
