The epigraph that starts this poem is from the I Ching , an important text of ancient Chinese Confucianism. The I Ching , also referred to as "The Book of Changes," expresses the Taoist philosophy of yin and yang, the balance of opposites in all things. This is shown in the first two lines of "Duration," which juxtapose the darkness of the sky against the lightness of the earth.
In addition to a balance between things, line 3 presents a balance between objects and actions, as the crowing of a rooster, generally recognized as a sign that dawn is coming, is presented as a violent, tearing motion that can affect the night, dividing it into parts.
The poem's first section contains two lines, 4 and 5, that have parallel wording. In each.....
This is a free excerpt of 135 words. This section contains 1,148 words. This
study guide contains 9,104 words (approx. 30 pages at 300
words per page).
Read the rest of this Literature Guide with our Duration Access Pass.
