My life was the size of my life. Its rooms were room-sized, its soul was the size of a soul.
-- The Speaker (Lines 1–3)

Importance: The speaker uses repetition to discern the scale of their life and soul in the opening lines. Rooms represent different facets of life such as socializing, working, resting, and engaging in private matters. Describing the size of the speaker's life and soul in this way embraces each exactly as they are.

In its background, mitochondria hummed, above it sun, clouds, snow, the transit of stars and planets.
-- The Speaker (Lines 4–6)

Importance: The speaker hones in on life at a cellular level and expands their perspective to see their wider surroundings. Engaging with both micro and macro contexts allows the speaker to have a richer experience of life. In both cases, a great deal of movement occurs. The humming mitochondria signify the cellular processes supporting life, while weather patterns and celestial bodies unfold in a...