Mirror in February

Background
 This poem looks at mortality. Kinsella was

back in his childhood home after the

break-up of his marriage. He draws
parallels between himself and nature.

Title
The use of ‘mirror’ in the title gives us the
idea that this poem is about reflection.

Stanza One
The time of day is presented from the
beginning ‘day dawns’. We are given a
specific setting also. While morning suggests
awaking and life the use of ‘opened soil’ gives
an image of a grave. Kinsella compares
himself to nature (pathetic fallacy) ‘dark’ and
‘dry’. This will be explored later as the poem
develops. The ‘exhausted eye’ suggests that he
is tired and worn out from his life.
Stanza Two
The idea of a time to learn is the poet learning
with spring. The idea of an ‘untiring,
crumbling place of growth’ shows that we
have a limited time on this earth. The poet
looks into the mirror and reflects on his life
‘mirror of my soul’. He realises that he has
reached thirty-three and feels that, unlike
Christ, he has not achieved his goals in life
yet.

Stanza Three
Here we have the morning awakening the trees
just like it did Kinsella. The pathetic fallacy
continues when he looks at the pruning of the
trees, just like him shaving. While the pruning
is harsh, it does benefit nature but Kinsella
knows that this is not an option for humanity.
The poet shows acceptance at the end; he
realises that he is ‘Not young and not
renewable, but man’.
Points to note:
 Mirror recurred to emphasise reflection

 Imagery of nature contrasts continually

with humanity
 There is a strong emphasis on suffering

helping to express the ravages of time

Poetic Techniques

Rhyme
‘air’/’stare’
‘soul’/’whole’

Repetition
‘Mirror in February’
‘the mirror of my soul’
‘span for span’

Alliteration
‘day dawns’
‘better bearing’
‘dry, downturning’
Broad Assonance (a,o,u)
‘of must and rain’
‘looked my last on youth’

Narrow Assonance (i, e)

‘I read’
‘the time being’

Rhetorical question
‘And how …. more?’

Sibilance
‘stand defaced’
‘slow distaste’

Personification
‘the awakening trees … suffering..’