Nearing Forty- Derek Walcott

In this poem, Walcott outlines the anxiety that he feels as he ages as worries that he has not achieved the
mastery of his writing that he would have like circulate in his mind.

-The intense trepidation and discontent that Walcott feels as he ages

- ‘Insomnia’ is a powerful sleeplessness. The word reveals the anxiousness of the speaker, spurred on by
the apprehension-inducing prospect of turning forty years old.

-The number ‘forty’ is popularly associated with middle age; as the writer nears this milestone, he reflects
upon his life and particularly his work. Despite still having many years ahead of him, Walcott seems only
able to contemplate the negative prospects that may come in his life, so downtrodden he doesn’t seem to
be able to appreciate what he currently has.

-The rain transmits a message; it seems to be ‘recounting’ – reminding the writer – that he is nearly forty
years old. The author hears a regular rhythm (‘rigidly-metred’) in the sound of the rain. Later in the poem,
the rain develops into a symbol of inspiration.

-The author imagines his eyesight failing and uses the image of trying to peer through a frosted pane of
glass, which would make the world look clouded and obscure. This image summons up the frustration of
trying to see clearly when age is weakening your eyesight.

- The last word of the poem is quite emotive and sad. Walcott accepts the reality of growing older, but does
not deny that there is a sadness in leaving one’s youth behind.

- Enjambment is a defining feature of this poem. The ‘sense’ of the lines does not match the poem’s
lineation. In Nearing Forty, this has the effect of resembling a stream of consciousness, which suggests
his negative thoughts are overwhelming as they begin to accumulate. Simultaneously, it suggests the
insistent sound of rainfall as the speaker lies awake.

- Walcott writes in alternating lines of rising and falling rhythm. Falling rhythms are especially good at
conjuring the sound of rainfall on the roof as Walcott lies awake in the dark.

- ‘False dawn’ is a metaphor, revealing that Walcott feels that the promise of his early work has not yet
come to fruition.
- Ending on ‘weep’ is particularly significant as it elucidates his excessive and almost debilitating sense
of utter dejection.

- The power of cynicism, or self-doubt, is emphasized through alliteration of plosive P sounds. (Prodigious
… plants)

- ‘False dawn’ further evokes a sense of apprehension as despite the talents and signs of promise he
displayed when he was younger, he fears he will fail to live up to such indicators of success

-Polyptoton of ‘nearing’, ‘nearer’ helps reveal the speaker’s anxiety as he approaches forty years old.

- The first few lines of this poem feature alliteration and consonance of the letter R. Liquid alliteration
conjures the impression of rainfall. Liquid sounds combine well with enjambment to also help create the
impression of Walcott’s mind turning over and over as his thoughts start to flow.

-As the sound of the rain penetrates his bones, M and N sounds are audible. Nasal alliteration helps
create the effect of feelings emerging inside the speaker, and also potentially his unpleasant pent-up
emotions.

- His drive to overcome this sense of disappointment that stems from his innate desire to be young again
and not allow his anxiety to plague his years of middle age, seeming to stem from his mentor - and to
whom this poem is addressed - John Figueroa.

- Words like ‘finds’, ‘foresaw’ and ’insight’ suggest Figueroa was a man of powerful vision and Walcott
wishes to emulate him in thy way as he strives to try and make the most of his middle age. The
admiration Walcott holds for Figueroa’s poetry is evident in the phrase ‘simple, shining lines’ and
accentuated using alliteration.

- ‘Guttering’ and ‘sputter’ are both words associating with weak or flickering light. Walcott tells us how
Figueroa only needed faint sources of inspiration in order to be a writer. (More portrayal of Figueroa
overcoming obstacles - like Walcott must with his middle age)

- Allowing a line to break in the middle of a word is unusual and quite an extreme example of
enjambment. Associated with the rainfall, this broken word (‘gutter-ing’) might suggest the way rain
doesn’t fall smoothly; sometimes it comes in fits and starts – like the way inspiration might flow,
stutter, then flow again. The ‘stutter’ represents middle age and how it is merely an obstacle that must
be overcome as he finds more joy in life in his final years.
- Against a background of softer sounds, these hard ‘D’ alliterations are audibly stronger. Walcott is
suggesting that, although dim and worn, the items that Figueroa sees around him also have the
potential to be sources of sudden and strong inspiration.

- These lines feature two pairs of oxymorons, encapsulating how age both gives and takes. ‘Sadder joy’
suggests that, while middle-age may not feature the unrestrained happiness of youth, there are still
‘joys’ to be found. The second oxymoron, ’steadier elation,’ suggests that age can bring balance and
‘steadiness’ to a person’s outlook. The oxymorons reiterate one another.

- The preceding section ended with a semi-colon; now these few lines begin with the connective ‘or’.
Walcott’s speaker has abandoned his previous thoughts of doubt and cynicism and imagines Figueroa
working steadily until his death. He has realized that middle-age does not mean the end of his ability to
work; he will continue, but in a different way.

- Lines 25 and 27 resolve themselves into iambic rhythms. These steadier rhythms suggest that Walcott is
resolving his contradictory thoughts. They may also convey the ‘steadiness’ of Figueroa’s methodology,
something that Walcott will try to emulate in the future.

- The description of rain at the end of the poem contrasts with the ‘rigidly-metred’ rain at the start. This
reveals the way a sleepless night of contemplation has changed the speaker, who is now open to
perceiving in a new way. Walcott uses a simile to imagine himself as a ‘water clerk’, one who weighs and
measures the rain. However, if the rain is understood as a source of inspiration, this line suggests he will
be able to harness this force to write his poems in the future.

- The sounds at the end of the poem blend together harmoniously, in particular assonant OO in ‘moon’
and ‘moves’, and the EE in ‘seems’ and ‘weep’ blend in this way. When both consonant and vowel
sounds harmonize, it creates an effect called euphony. Euphony is pleasant to the ear so, which brings
a touch of ambiguity to the end of the poem. There is a sad image of weeping, yet there’s also a sense
of renewed resolution and positivity.

- At the end of the poem, Walcott accepts the reality of growing older and resolves to work in a new
way. The new moon symbolizes this new resolution and also symbolizes a new beginning, or the
opportunity for a fresh start that middle age brings.

- simile is to suggest that ‘narrowing’ vision means a more focused vision too. Age may bring weakness,
but it also brings wisdom and experience.

- The repetition of ‘conventional’ is important as, this time, the word has lost its negative connotation.
Previously, Walcott was afraid of being judged as ‘average’ and ‘conventional.’ By the end of the
poem, though, he has made his peace with the idea that inspiration comes from his ordinary, everyday
 surroundings. He embraces conventionality in the same way he accepts the ‘steadier elation’ of middle
age.

- Walcott describes Figueroa using a metaphor, as if he was a tree shedding his leaves as he gets older.
The contrast between Figueroa’s aging body and the power of his ‘shining lines’ is developed here.
Walcott is realizing that age may take away some things – but it grants others.

- Walcott presents a simile that suggests age affects one’s vision. A ‘louvre’ is a window fitted with
wooden slats that restricts the light. However, another way of interpreting this simile is to suggest that
‘narrowing’ vision means a more focused vision too. Age may bring weakness, but it also brings
wisdom and experience. Don’t forget that ‘vision’ is also a metonymy; it stands for all of a poet’s
perceptive powers and abilities, such as imagination, insight and being able to find inspiration.

- The poem ends on sad, but beautiful, image. As the speaker looks up at the moon through the rain, he
imagines it is weeping. This image is ambiguous and open to interpretation. On one hand, you might feel
he is grieving the passing of his youth. On the other hand, the image is beautiful and poetic, and you
might feel it signals the beginning of his newfound resolution and ability to be inspired by his natural
surroundings

- ‘Ebbs’ is a word that describes water and means to go out like the sea tide. The speaker accepts that a
poet’s imagination cannot always be strong and bright like a searing meteor. It comes and goes, like the
tide

- The poem ends on a full rhyme between ‘weep’ and ‘sleep’ (line 27). While the rhyme scheme has
been irregular, ending the poem on a full rhyme creates a satisfactory sense of conclusion, as if the
speaker as resolved to make a fresh start after his night of reflection.

- The end of the poem (more or less) resolves into iambic pentameter. This ’steadier’ rhythm both
associates with the persistent rainfall and evokes the steady way Walcott resolves to work in the
future.

- The stark contrast between the excitement and unpredictability of youth and the monotonous nature of
middle age.

- The poem creates an image of middle age that is ‘bleak’, grey and colourless. ‘Fireless’ complements
the imagery of middle age as ‘bleak’ and ‘cold’ established by the poem. Images of heat and light are
reserved for youth, not middle age.

- ’Searing’ is a word that suggests power. This word is associated with youth. By contrast, words to do
with age convey weakness. ‘Fumble’ suggests how one’s strength fails as one gets older and
‘narrower’ vision connects with the image of straining to see through frosted glass. Other words such
 as ‘damp’, ‘dry wheezing’, and ‘dented’ have negative connotations. These are also associated with
ageing.

- Walcott considers the way young people misjudge quantity for quality. He uses the metaphor of
measuring rain, a memory from his lessons at school, and wonders if his ‘seasons’ (life or his work) will
be judged by volume (‘year’s end rain’).

- A simile describes the ambition of young people ‘as a searing meteor;’ Youthful ambition is compared
to something hot and bright, and evokes ideas such as passion and determination.

- Walcott employs contrasting imagery to suggest the difference between youthful ambition (which is
‘searing’ hot) and the modest way in which Figueroa goes about his work. Words such as ‘damp’ and
‘dry’ contrast with ’searing’ to suggest the heat or passion of ambition dampens as one gets older.

- The idea that cynicism is inside everybody is expressed with a second metaphor. Young people don’t
feel cynicism or self-doubt, but over time, the ‘seed’ grows and the feeling becomes more powerful.

- ‘Wheezing’ is an onomatopoeia that represents the sound of laboured breathing as one gets older

- The mistakes of youth are emphasized with alliteration, particularly hard C in the last couple of lines
here. Alliteration also calls attention to the importance of the word ‘conventional’ in the poem.

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smoothly; sometimes it comes in fits and starts – like the way
inspiration might flow, stutter, then flow again