One Art
One Art
by Elizabeth Bishop
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One Art Symbolism, Imagery & Wordplay

There’s more to a poem than meets the eye.

Material Objects

"One Art" approaches loss in a rather sidelong manner; it doesn’t dive straight in and attack the big issues, like the loss of a home or a loved one, but instead begins with the little things...

Homes, Places

The poet’s brief discussion of homes and places that she’s loved provides a smooth segue into the final stanza, in which she reveals that the poem is actually about the loss of a loved...

Art

Art is a double-edged sword here. The poet focuses on "the art of losing," which she depicts as something wherein practice makes perfect. However, this isn’t necessarily an art we can ever tr...