Enjambment+--+Yura

Analysis: Line Breaks
“Erosion” isn’t only for soils. Perhaps a person goes through erosion at some point in his or her life as if it’s part of life’s cycle. Linda Pastan seems to use erosion as a metaphor to describe “our” life, the human life. Just like the erosion process, we, as humans, move and change as the clock’s hand spins and the hourglass sand spills. Her varied line breaks deliver the poem with a deeper theme, a distinct tone, and an appropriate tone. The theme in this poem isn’t simply soil erosion; it has a more complex connection. As time goes by, soil erodes and changes, or even goes through a diminution. Similarly, as humans live another day, another year of their lives, they change and lose their purity and innocence. Yet, this is all a slow process. The line breaks create the poem a slow rhythm; it holds a suspension. For example, the first line “We are slowly,” does not finish the sentence; moreover, it’s missing the main ingredient of the whole line. Slowly what? The enjambment creates a slow rhythm to begin with, a restrained one. It hints that the poem is not an energetic one. Similarly, the line breaks that occur before a full idea is described in one line create a slow rhythm as they create pauses after only a few words. Nonetheless, on the other hand, lines such as “It happens as we watch,” creates a contrasting rhythm, a faster one and a bold one as it finishes a whole sentence and a**n** idea in one line. As a result, holistically the line breaks create a balance of fast and slow rhythms. Every stanza has fast and slow rhythms just like the paces time runs during our life; during erosion. In addition, the continuous line breaks after full idea and parallel sentence structure create a listing rhythm, as if the reader was listing a grocery list. For example, “We have tried a seawall/ We have tried prayer/ We have planted grasses.” Such line breaks create a parallel rhythm continuously, which is the reason why it sounds as if the reader is reading off a list. Moreover, a clear tone is created through these line breaks. At parts where the rhythm is slow moving, the tone is restrained and mournful. For example, “for here sand/ is running out.” The line break between ‘sand’ and ‘is’ creates a suspension while reading it as it unconsciously causes the reader to pause before the word ‘is.’ This creates a mournful tone because the pause prevents any energy or fast rhythm to be created. The line breaks hold the result with a pause. It’s as if a person is expressing a regret or mourn the future. Moreover, the tone varies depending on the future and the present/past. When the author is talking about the future, the line breaks are enjambments,in a middle of a sentence or an idea, which creates a fearful tone, as if the author fears the future. On the other hand, present/past aspects of the poem are bluntly states with line breaks after the idea or sentence. As a result, the tone is more indifferent and bold. Lastly, the line breaks that come after commas create a side voice, which seems to give additional information; additional insight. For example, “just out of sight,/but more like an hourglass.” The line break after the comma shows that the next line will be relevant to the previous and the author evidently utilizes this technique to enhance the meaning. Furthermore, these line breaks create a voice detached to the general mood and tone of the poem. A voice with, ironically, a curious tone. Pastan utilizes the line breaks to create a unique tone and rhythm. And through this creation, she creates profundity of her theme and hints the deeper meaning to erosion. Hence, through the line breaks, a different tone and rhythm is created to represent life. Change. Uncertainty. Future. Past. Present.


 * Michelle Comment: I like your comparison to the literal 'erosion' and Pastan's possible interpretation of the word as a metaphor to the human life. You notice the small details in the lines of this poem. Your overall sentence structure and fluency of writing are varied and easy to follow. Clear ideas. You make your point well throughout the writing. Love the way you started and ended this.**