Elizabeth Bishop is a poet who has cemented her legacy through her command over both the English language and the use of its puncuatory devices. One of the most famous examples of her later masteries is the currious set of parenthesis in the poem "One Art." The poem begins fairly tamely at first; repetition and the continuing escalation of the speaker's ability to losses builds the poem towards an inevitable climactic ending. . . only for a set of parenthesis to shatter the poem's momentum and bring the piece to a grinding halt two lines away from the end. Why are these lines here? A number of possible theories:
1. The parenthesis clearly draw special attention to the words they surround. Perhaps these words are the poem's true meaning instead?
2. The parenthesis may help to bring the speaker/poet directly into the poem itself. The parenthesis almost sound like a voice from heaven speaking directly to the reader. Try reading this pome aloud and listen for any changes in your voice once you reach the end.
3. The parenthesis are a mistake and a poor choice. This is my most favored response, however it is important to recognize that Bishop is a skilled poet, and included these parenthesis for a reason. Most likely. Everybody makes mistakes, right?
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