ONE ART BY ELIZABETH

The Art of Losing

     "One Art" is a beautiful villanelle in which Elizabeth Bishop claims, "The art is losing isn't hard to master". However, we do not agree with her because material things are never lost, real losses are eternal and the poetess herself fails to master this so-called art. 

     Firstly, material things are never lost but misplaced. Door keys, watches and houses etc are not lost because they retain their existence. They have chances of retrieval. We may run into them any time. If they mislaid permanently, we can get their substitutes. Thus tangible things are never lost. 

     Secondly, the real losses are the losses of those things that lose their existence. The death of our dear ones is an example of these losses. Time can assuage the pain of loss but can never return us a lost mother, father or friend. Hence it is impossible to master the art of losing. 

     Thirdly, the poetess herself fails to master this art. The rhythm of the poem is choked up. There are many glottal pauses, signifying that the poetess is trying to hold back the tears and having trouble controlling her view point. So how can we agree with her flippancy!

EVERY DAY IS A NEW DAY

Every Day is a New Day

     Nature has its own cycles. The cycle of time in which the earth makes a complete rotation on its axis is called a day. Although, a day is a repetitive natural phenomenon yet no day is same. Every day is a new day because it is extremely different, a new beginning and a new opportunity.

     Firstly, every day is a different day. It has a different name, different date and different possibilities. When Manolin reminds Santiago of his an erstwhile unlucky spell of 87 days, Santiago says, "It could not happen twice". Thus no day is like bygone days. It is absolutely new.

     Secondly, every day is a new beginning. A man is reborn every day. It is the first day of the rest of his life. It is a clean slate. If man performs bad of good deeds the day before, the canvas is wiped clean as soon as he wakes up the next morning.

     Thirdly, every day is a new opportunity. The chief beauty about a new day is that no man can consume it in advance. Every new day lies ready for him, as perfect, as unspoiled. So man should be optimistic about every day. In fact, Santiago rightly hopes that 85th will be a lucky day.