Deep Analysis Of Over The World's Rim By William Faulkner

Over The World's Rim by William Faulkner is dominated by rhetorical questions. I guess this four stanza poem is motivated by the swift and steady rotation of the earth, time and seasons. At the moment Faulkner wrote the poem, it was December (end of the year): "Over the world's rim, drawing bland November/ Reluctant behind them, drawing the moons of cold" referring to line 1-2.

With the aid of rhetorical questions the poet wondered why the seasons keep dying and resurrecting on earth, he wondered if he had once had such privilege before he was born to this earth where he owned his living to death's limitation:
"What do their lonely voices wake to remember
In this dust ere 'twas flesh? what restless old

Dream a thousand years was safely sleeping
Wakes my blood to sharp unease? what horn

Rings out to them? Was I free once, sweeping
Their wild and lonely skies ere I was born?"

William Faulkner then enviously encouraged time and seasons to keep enjoying their freedom of continuous existence while he maintained his own inferiority because of his limitations as a mortal being.

The vivid themes are the virtues in nature, the comparison between mortal and immortal, impact of death on humans, etc. There are run-on-lines, imageries, and the use of poet license in the craft of the poem. Each stanza of the poem is four lines with end rhyme scheme of ABAB.

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Samuel C. Enunwa aka samueldpoetry
(the Leo with wings flying)