It Doesn’t Matter - Imtiaz Dharker Flashcards
(8 cards)
1
Q
Explain how the poem redefines the concept of time, using evidence to support your analysis of its message.
A
- subverts the notion of ‘time is money’
- time acts as a means to a shared experience, where delays become opportunities for intimacy
- delays are valuable
2
Q
What other themes is the poem concerned with? What does it say about each of them?
A
- love and relationship: emphasizes togetherness —> elevates love and teaches us to cherish small moments
- perspective in life: live in the moment, be content with what you’re given
3
Q
How does the poem’s free-verse structure and use of enjambment reflect the situation and themes?
A
- free verse: no rhyme —> conversational tone
- lacks regular rhyme or meter, final stanza flows without punctuation until the end = continuity of time: irregular = embrace unpredictability
4
Q
Comment on the use of refrain, and the fact that the first and last stanza are the same.
A
- from resignation to revelation: ‘it doesn’t matter’ transforms from a practical dismissal of the train delay to a profound declaration of love’s power to transcend time
- time as a loop: closed circuit structure, lovers’ moment exists outside linear time
- acts as a chorus: musicality and mantra
5
Q
What is the effect of direct address?
A
- private conversation
- strips away poetic abstraction
- resembles a shared secret
6
Q
Comment on the significance of the ‘it’s not as if’ scenarios.
A
- acknowledges the fragility of connection, then immediately contrasts with the poem’s reality
-rejection of societal impatience - represent universal symbols of disconnection
7
Q
Comment on the language used to describe ‘time’.
A
- time as a suspended force
- tangible and shared
- time as art
8
Q
How does the poet use sound devices, such as alliteration or assonance, to enhance the poem’s mood or rhythm?
A
- disarm urgency
- soft ‘s’ and ‘t’ sounds mimic the murmur of conversations
- ‘ay’ mirrors the lazy and calm vibe
