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The Night Parade: Poems by Edward Hirsch

James Joyce

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In his National Book Award-winning collection, The Night Parade, Edward Hirsch explores the themes of memory, loss, and the human condition with his signature lyricism and emotional depth.

The Night Parade: Poems

by Edward Hirsch

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	195 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	97 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported

The book is divided into three sections. The first section, "The Night Parade," features poems that grapple with the death of Hirsch's father. The second section, "The World in Black and White," explores the complexities of love and marriage. The third section, "The End of the Century," reflects on the passing of time and the fragility of life.

Throughout the collection, Hirsch's poems are marked by their vivid imagery, musicality, and emotional resonance. He writes with a rare combination of vulnerability and strength, inviting readers into the depths of his own experiences while also exploring universal truths about the human condition.

In the poem "The Night Parade," Hirsch confronts the death of his father with raw emotion:

My father is gone, and the night parade Passes without him. The moon is a wound In the sky, and the stars are his eyes.

The poem captures the visceral grief and sense of loss that accompanies the death of a loved one. Hirsch's use of imagery, such as the "night parade" and the "moon as a wound," creates a vivid and haunting portrait of his father's absence.

In the poem "The World in Black and White," Hirsch explores the complexities of love and marriage:

We live in a world of black and white, Where the shadows dance and the light Is always changing. We are both In this world, but we are not the same.

The poem captures the delicate balance of love and marriage, the way in which two people can be both deeply connected and yet fundamentally different. Hirsch's use of contrasting imagery, such as "black and white" and "shadows and light," reflects the complexities of the human heart.

In the poem "The End of the Century," Hirsch reflects on the passing of time and the fragility of life:

The century is ending, and we are All going to die. The world is going to end, And the sun is going to burn out. But we are still here, for now, And we are still alive.

The poem confronts the inevitability of death with a sense of both resignation and acceptance. Hirsch acknowledges the fragility of life, but he also celebrates the beauty and wonder of the present moment.

The Night Parade is a powerful and moving collection of poems that explores the universal themes of memory, loss, and the human condition. Edward Hirsch writes with a rare combination of vulnerability and strength, inviting readers into the depths of his own experiences while also exploring truths about the human condition.

The book is a must-read for anyone interested in poetry, loss, or the human experience.

The Night Parade: Poems

by Edward Hirsch

5 out of 5