This Moment

This Moment
by Eavan Boland

A neighbourhood.
At dusk.
Things are getting ready
to happen
out of sight.
Stars and moths.
And rinds slanting around fruit.
But not yet.
One tree is black.
One window is yellow as butter.
A woman leans down to catch a child
who has run into her arms
this moment.
Stars rise.
Moths flutter.
Apples sweeten in the dark.

This poem is about capturing a moment in time. I think that today a lot of people run through life not slowing down and taking the time to appreciate the world around them. I like in this poem the line “One tree is black. One window is yellow as butter” because it paints a really good picture of a neighborhood at night. This poem is about taking notice of times like these, something I don’t do very often. So, I think this poem sends out a good message. I often find myself personally running from event to event and never even taking the time to slow down and realize the family around me. The sixth line describes a mother and a child and their connection. It describes a simple moment that when you think about it, isn’t as simple as it seems. This one simple gesture shows how much love the two have for each other and the happiness the two share. This poem’s entire point is that people should stop and take notice of these moments because a lot is being missed when you just race through life. For this reason I not only found this poem extremely intriguing, but I also found it helpful in making me notice that maybe I need to start paying more attention to the little things. This poem most effectively gets its point across through imagery.