Windchime
By Tony Hoagland
She goes out to hang the windchime
in her nightie and her work boots.
It’s six-thirty in the morning
and she’s standing on the plastic ice chest
tiptoe to reach the crossbeam of the porch,
windchime in her left hand,
hammer in her right, the nail
gripped tight between her teeth
but nothing happens next because
she’s trying to figure out
how to switch #1 with #3.
She must have been standing in the kitchen,
coffee in her hand, asleep,
when she heard it—the wind blowing
through the sound the windchime
wasn’t making
because it wasn’t there.
No one, including me, especially anymore believes
till death do us part,
but I can see what I would miss in leaving—
the way her ankles go into the work boots
as she stands upon the ice chest;
the problem scrunched into her forehead;
the little kissable mouth
with the nail in it.
I chose the poem Windchime by Tony Hoagland because it is a very simple, but can be interpreted in many ways. A girl in work boots using a hammer and nail could make it seem like she is in the southern country side, but it can also be taken as a girl and her lover just moving into the country side, since she is about to hang a windchime outside her home. This poem also shows that the lover of this girl in work boots hanging a windchime is about to leave her, since he says "but I can see what I would miss in leaving-the way her ankles go in her work boots...". Although, that can also be taken as the lover just thinking about how he should never leave her. This poem has many interpretations, which is why I chose Windchime by Tony Hoagland.
Brittany, I really liked this poem! I agree with you in the sense that it could have various interpretations with all of the things being said. The love being portrayed in this is very beautiful and simple as you mentioned before. How do you personally interpret this poem? How do you think the speaker feels towards the woman he is speaking about?
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this poem since there are so many different interpretations. I feel like art is art when it can apply to anyone. When anyone can create a scenario from it to their liking. Another interpretation could be the possibility of the speaker dying since he mentions not believing in "till death do us part." Whatever the true meaning is, it was still beautifully written and I would like to know what you think it means as a whole.
ReplyDeleteThis poem is very unique, I love how you can view it in all different ways. Like you said it is very simple yet with a good story with meaning behind it. I enjoy poems like these because it is nice to see people interpret it in different ways. It is a way to open up the mind with new ideas. I have never heard of Tony Hoagland before, but I'm interested in what you really interpret from this poem.
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