W. H. Auden's poem 'As I Walked Out One Evening' delves into the themes of love's aspirations against the relentless march of time and the certainty of death. Set in Birmingham, the poem contrasts a lover's eternal vows with the sobering reminders from personified clocks. It reflects on the conflict between love and time, the inevitability of mortality, and humanity's connection to the natural world.
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The poem explores the enduring nature of love and its relationship with time and mortality
Inevitability
The poem highlights the unyielding progression of time and its impact on human existence
Personification
The clocks are personified and serve as a reminder of the omnipresence of time
The poem addresses the inevitability of death and its relationship with time and love
The clocks are personified and engage in a dialogue with the lovers
The clocks are compared to natural phenomena, emphasizing the transformative effects of time
The poem uses vivid imagery to convey the themes of time and mortality
The poem's use of an irregular metrical pattern adds to its musical rhythm and emphasizes the omnipresence of time
The poem's rhyme scheme interweaves the perspectives of the speaker, lover, and clocks, highlighting the theme of time
The poem's structure, reminiscent of a ballad, adds to its contemplative tone and musicality