All or nothing June 5, 2012

  

Her poem posted today has a simple but significant message. The closer you get to something, the more there is to learn.

While standing away from something, you might get overwhelmed by the larger picture and learn almost nothing about it.

The poem is about two kinds of knowledge.

The first kind of knowledge comes from being close to a subject and getting acquainted with all of the subtle aspects of its personality. So, the more you learn the more you realize there is so much more still to learn.

The second kind of knowledge comes at a distance, where you might see a larger picture, but aren’t privy to the essential details. The big picture often overwhelms you, and you tend to make judgements based on this confusion that may not be valid, based on impressions rather than intimate knowledge, judgements that are often false.

It is bad to assume things when you do not have access to important inner details.

The poem is told in third person narrative but has no internal character. The poet or speaker is talking to an audience, to another person, trying to make an important observation.

The poet calls this a “paradox” which is something that at first glance seems contradictory, but after closer study proves to be true.

In this case, she is saying when you get close to someone, you find out a lot, especially that there is more to learn.

On the outside at a distance, you learn little, assume a lot, making judgements without really understanding the subject or person.

The poet is essentially telling someone not to make assumptions based on lack of real information and shows you the benefit of getting close to a person where the real truth lies.

The form of the poem is based on two parallel stanzas.

The first stanza talks about the inner aspect, the second stanza about the outer.

The first talks in terms of greater discovery, “more and more.”

The second, “less and less.”

She uses positive language in the first stanza, “more and more,” and “reveal,” while the second stanza uses negative language “less and less,” “and obsess.”

The closer you get in a journey of discovery (possibly joy) the more aspects of character are revealed and with the promise there will be more to be found in the future.

The further away, you discover less, get confused, and made assumptions based on things you might see in the very large picture. You get obsessed with details that a more intimate knowledge might have revealed as inaccurate.

What she seems to be saying is: if you are kind, patient and willing to invest in her, you might learn a lot and get well-rewarded, that she has a lot to offer and that there are various aspects of her character yet to be revealed.

If you are impatient and get obsessed, you essentially wind up with nothing.

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