Question

1.What is the connotative meaning of the poem?

2.Find examples of imagery, metaphors, similes, etc. and elaborate on their connotative meanings.

3.What attitude does the poet have toward the subject of the poem?

Find and list examples that illustrate the tone and mood of the poem.

4.Is there a shift in the tone/attitude of the poem?

Where is the shift?

What does the tone shift to?

5.Revisit the title and explain any new insights it provides to the meaning of the poem.

6.What is the overall theme of the poem?

THIS IS THE POEM

I imagine the time of our meeting

There among the forms of the earth at Abiquiu,

And other times that followed from the one -

An easy conjugation of stories,

And late luncheons of wine and cheese.

All around there were beautiful objects,

Clean and precise in their beauty, like bone.

The skulls of cows and sheep;

And the many smooth stones in the window,

In the flat winter light, were beautiful.

I wanted to feel the sun in the stones -

The ashen, far-flung winter sun -

But this I did not tell you, I believe,

But I believe that after all you knew.

And then, in those days, too,

I made you the gift of a small, brown stone,

And you described it with the tips of your fingers

And knew at once that it was beautiful -

At once, accordingly you knew,

As you knew the forms of the earth at Abiquiu:

That time involves them and they bear away,

Beautiful, various, remote,

In failing light, and in the coming of cold.

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

The connotative meaning of the poem is one of nostalgia and longing for past memories and experiences. It is a reflection on a meeting between the speaker and someone else, and the memories and objects associated with that meeting.

Examples of imagery in the poem include "beautiful objects, clean and precise in their beauty, like bone" and "the skulls of cows and sheep". These objects are described in a way that emphasizes their beauty and uniqueness, despite being somewhat macabre.

The metaphor of time as an "easy conjugation of stories" suggests that the past is something that can be easily revisited and relived through memories and stories. The simile of the "smooth stones in the window" being "beautiful" emphasizes the idea that beauty can be found in unexpected places.

The poet's attitude toward the subject of the poem is one of fondness and appreciation for the memories and objects associated with the meeting. The tone is nostalgic and wistful, as the speaker longs to relive these experiences.

The mood of the poem is reflective and contemplative, with a sense of melancholy and nostalgia. Examples that illustrate the tone and mood of the poem include "late luncheons of wine and cheese" and "the ashen, far-flung winter sun".

There is a shift in the tone of the poem towards the end, as the speaker acknowledges that the memories are fading with "failing light, and in the coming of cold". The tone shifts to one of resignation and acceptance of the impermanence of memories and experiences.

The title "I Imagine the Time of Our Meeting" provides insight into the theme of the poem, which is the fleeting nature of memories and experiences. The title suggests that the speaker is reflecting on a past meeting and imagining what it would be like to relive that moment, but ultimately the poem emphasizes the impermanence of such experiences.

Overall, the theme of the poem is the transience of life and the importance of cherishing and appreciating moments and memories while they last.