gabe's essay

Gabriel Campbell

Mr. Salsich

English B

May 4th, 2009

                                                The Road to New Beginnings:

                                                      An Essay on Parting

            There is some form of parting in our lives everyday. We all have experienced this, whether it was losing a family member or a best friend (loose sentence). Parting is even in the poems we read. Overall, “Adios” by Naomi Shihab Nye, “My Life Closed Twice”, and my life can be related to the theme of parting.

            There were three prominent (FAST) ways that the poem “Adios” by Naomi Shihab Nye can relate to the theme of parting. Firstly, the word “adios” means goodbye in Spanish. A goodbye symbolizes parting. In a sense, this poem is coated in the theme parting before the poem even starts. In addition, Ms. Nye wrote “ letting everything, easily, go” to indicate parting. She is saying that once you come to peace, departing becomes easier. For example, when we all became close to the French kids, it was easier to see them leave because we knew we would see them again. Overall, from the title to the last sentence of the poem “Adios” by Naomi Shihab Nye, the theme parting is very conspicuous (FAST).

            In the poem “My Life Closed Twice” by Emily Dickenson, the theme of parting is subtly mentioned in the lines “Parting is all we know of heaven, and all that we need of hell”. Firstly,  the lines “parting is all we know of heaven” means that all we associate with heaven is dying. It is impossible for some one to come back from the dead to tell us what they’ve seen. Therefore, Ms. Dickinson is stating that the only information we have about heaven is the departure to this godly place. Similarly, when we depart from earth we leave everything behind. When Ms. Dickinson says “all we need of hell”, she is almost implying that life on earth is hell. This being said, when we die, we are leaving the “hell” that is earth behind. Overall, while the poem might only be eight lines long, the theme of “parting” is everlasting (FAST) in the sentences “Parting is all we know of heaven, and all that we need of hell”.

            Through my life, I have experienced parting in three ways. The first was when I moved to Rhode Island. I had to part with my school, my friends, and the place I grew up. In the end, while it did take some time, I was able to “let[…] everything, easily, go.” The other time I experienced parting was when my grandfather died. It was difficult for me because I never got to know him personally. This was similar to the quote “all we know of heaven” because him dying is all that I have known of heaven. Finally, I am about to experience parting. Once this year is over, we will all go to our respective schools. Even though we  might all keep in touch, it will be difficult not spending nearly everyday with the same 21 people I have been with for five years. Overall, even though my life is only 15 years in I have experienced parting in three substantial ways.

            While the clocks keep on ticking, the days keep on passing, and the future keeps approaching, we continually part (periodic sentence). We have each experienced this, and will continue to experience parting for the rest of our lives. Right now, we are experiencing parting through the themes of two poems. Overall “Adios” by Naomi Shihab Nye, “My Life Closed Twice”, and my life can all be connected to the theme of parting.