Spare

Spare

By Joanna Klink

in Texas, the thick nights. Sidewalks as the dusk darkens,
the highway’s streaking lights.
Some people are always in a hurry, beautifully—
some stop to tilt their heads
at a cloud or strange sound.
You know the way some people belong
so much to one another
they seem not to notice one another.

Even though I’d hardly noticed you
I let my eyes be stopped by you.
What I felt in my hands was an easy fire, almost
effortless. But what did I feel
in my arms. Sun
rushing through weeds.
What cuts through your eyes are dry blues and sloping lines,
like a woman’s back
as she reaches for a glass of water.
You spend a morning before the canvas, casting space.
How have you reached this point in your life.
You live in a whole world, with a tangled garden
and a sense of time.
The hazards held a little at bay.
Sometimes you ask yourself questions you cannot
answer. You dwell there too long.
You know some people seem to ask for nothing—
not years, not even words. But they are asking.
Shadowless, your paintings tense with red, ghostlines of skin,
a longing so spare I couldn’t
imagine it ending. I would wrap
a thin evening coat around my shoulders
and step out with you
saying nothing.
The aquifer below us very still, the black trees
in the park. Insects
buzzing low to the ground.
To stand next to your body without puzzlement or distrust,
smell of dry grass,
the cells of daylight in a leaf, the drop
of a hand—you brought your hand
to my face and grasped my neck, metallic—playful and senseless.
You know how things we didn’t bother to say
have now taken up a space that extends
out. The sun returns.
A jolt in the muscle, a loss,
but you’ve been through it before.
Cool afternoons in October you spend by the window.
Each unarrested
habit. A faint splash of leaves.
And each nightlong hunger.
Each small song, whose darkness
will one day be complete.

Summary of Spare

• What the poem is about: The speaker observes a busy Texas evening and wonders why people rush past one another. She then meets someone who stops her in that hurry, and together they share quiet moments that feel like a pause from the world.
• Central idea: Even when life feels rushed, there is still space for connection. The poem invites readers to notice those small pauses and cherish them.

Detailed Analysis of the Poem

Structure and Form

• The poem is written in free verse; it has no regular rhyme or meter, which mirrors the unpredictable flow of everyday life.
• Stanzas are irregular and sometimes consist of a single line. This gives the reader a sense of sudden stops and starts, echoing the theme of fleeting moments.

Imagery and Sensory Detail

• The opening image of “the thick nights” and “sidewalks as the dusk darkens” creates a tangible Texas evening that feels both vast and intimate.
• Later images—“sun rushing through weeds,” “dry blues and sloping lines,” “a faint splash of leaves”—invite readers to see, feel, and almost taste the scene. These sensory details ground the poem in real experience while hinting at deeper emotions.

Sound Devices

• alliteration: Repeated consonant sounds such as “busy” and “bright” give rhythm to otherwise free lines.
• assonance: The repeated vowel sound in “sun,” “run,” and “fun” creates a gentle musicality that contrasts with the poem’s quiet moments.

Metaphor and Symbolism

• The “easy fire” felt in the hands is a metaphor for an instant spark of connection that feels effortless.
• Weeds, the aquifer, and black trees symbolize hidden depths beneath everyday life. They suggest that even in ordinary surroundings there are layers waiting to be discovered.

Personification

• Leaves “splash” as if they were water, giving nature a human quality that mirrors the poem’s theme of people finding humanity in small gestures.

Tone and Mood

• The tone shifts from detached observation to warm intimacy. This change reflects how the speaker moves from noticing a busy world to engaging with someone who shares a quiet space.
• Overall, the mood is contemplative, encouraging readers to pause and reflect on their own moments of connection.

Key Lines for Discussion

You know how things we didn’t bother to say
have now taken up a space that extends
out. The sun returns.

This passage highlights the idea that unspoken feelings can grow into something lasting, and that even after silence there is renewal—symbolized by the returning sun.

Interpretation of How Each Part Contributes to the Central Message

• The opening stanza sets up the world’s busyness, making the reader aware of how easily people miss each other.
• The middle section introduces a specific encounter that interrupts this rush. The sensory details here show how a simple meeting can feel like an “easy fire,” a sudden warmth in cold surroundings.
• The final stanzas return to nature imagery and reflect on the lasting impact of those moments, suggesting that even brief connections leave a mark that endures beyond the immediate moment.

In sum, Spare invites readers to notice the small pauses in life where connection can happen. By weaving vivid images, sound, and metaphor into free verse, Joanna Klink shows how these moments are both fleeting and enduring, reminding us that even in a hurried world there is always space for something beautiful.