In a Convex Mirror
By Rosemary Dobson
See, in the circle, how we stand,
As pictured angels touching wings
Inflame a Dutch interior
Bespeaking birth, foretelling kings.The room is still and brushed with dusk;
Shall we not disregard the clock
Or let alone be eloquent
The silence between tick and tock?Shall we be fixed within the frame,
This breathing light to clear-cold glass
Until our images are selves
And words to wiser silence pass?But ruined Rostov falls in flame,
Cities crumble and are gone,
Time’s still waters deeply flow
Through Here and Now as Babylon.And swirling through this little frame
Will rive the two of us apart,
Engulfing with unnumbered floods
The hidden spaces of the heart.
Summary of In a Convex Mirror
- Popularity of “In a Convex Mirror”: “In a Convex Mirror” by Rosemary Dobson, an Australian poet, anthologist, and illustrator, is a symbolic poem. It was published in 1944 in her collection of the same title.The poem encompasses the poet and her lover’s in a supposed image seen through a convex mirror as if they are predicting births and histories. The unique poetic quality of the poem rests on this time and timelessness as depicted by her personal configuration in the supposed painting.
- “In a Convex Mirror” As a Representative of Art and Love: The poem opens with the first person presenting the poet evaluating the couple in the convex mirror as the title of the poem informs the readers. Then she goes on to say that it seems that they are angels pictured as if they could predict birth dates and luck of the kings through their painting bedecking a Dutch wall. However, what they feel seemingly eloquent is just the passing of time that she shows through a rhetorical question. Again posing the same question in the next stanza, she states that they may turn from images to words that tell their story. Then she moves to the time, stating that it will go on through the ruins of Rostov to Babylon, while they will be mirrored through the convex mirror as if the time is a river and numerous floods may separate them.
- Major Themes in “In a Convex Mirror”: The poem presents the theme of time, timelessness, and love that she fears that time may become a river and brings a flood to separate them. The poem, however, opens with their implicit love that goes on with the time even if it fits them in an image through a convex mirror. Although it seems that this image may become timeless when time is passing, it is also a fear that time may pass on ruining the cities, and their painting may survive the ravages of time. Despite this, there is fear that this river of time may separate them. The confusion given at the end shows their love that is not sure to pass the test of time.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in “In a Convex Mirror”
literary devices refer to the specific tools that the writers use in their writings. Rosemary Dobson has also inserted some literary devices in this poem to beautify her poetic piece as shown below.
- Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line such as the sound of /e/ in “Bespeaking birth, foretelling kings” and the sound of /o/ in “Or let alone be eloquent.”
- Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line such as the sound of /c/ in “clear-cold” and the sound of /th/ in “through this.”
- Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line such as the sound of /ch/ in “As pictured angels touching wings,” the sound of /th/ and /l/ in “And swirling though this little frame” and the sound of /f/ in “But ruined Rostov falls in flame.”
- Enjambment: It is defined as a thought in verse that does not come to an end at a line break; rather, it rolls over to the next line. For example;
Shall we be fixed within the frame,
This breathing light to clear-cold glass
Until our images are selves
And words to wiser silence pass?
- Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. Rosemary Dobson has used imagery in this poem such as “The room is still and brushed with dusk”, “Time’s still waters deeply flow” and “Engulfing with unnumbered floods.”
- Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between the objects that are different. The poet has used the metaphors of silence as if it is a human being or of time as if it is a river.
- Personification: Personification is to give human qualities to inanimate objects. The poet has personified silence as having life and emotions of its own.
- Rhetorical Question: The poem shows the use of rhetorical questions in the second and the third stanzas.
- Simile: The poem shows the use of a simile such as “how we stand,/as pictured angels.”
- Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from literal meanings. Here the poem has used the symbols of time, water, and floods.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in “In a Convex Mirror”
Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is the analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.
- Diction: The poem shows descriptive diction using similes and personifications.
- Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows the ABCB rhyme scheme in all of its five stanzas. However, the last two stanzas show ABAB rhyme scheme.
- Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. There are five stanzas with each having four verses.
Quotes to be Used
The lines stated below from “In a Convex Mirror” are useful to use when motivating the students and telling them about wisdom in a quizzical manner.
Shall we be fixed within the frame,
This breathing light to clear-cold glass
Until our images are selves
And words to wiser silence pass?
