Point of View

“Sycamore Gap” is told through a shifting point of view that moves from third-person omniscient, to fourth person, to first person. The first stanza is told from an omniscient point of view, describing a scene that is detached from any human perspective. This speaker sees the two vandals, the sky, and the animal life that occupies this space. This approach allows the reader to experience a singular event through a number of different lenses. The first, omniscient stanza is cinematic and describes a tragedy unfolding in real time. However, there is little subjectivity in this section of the poem, allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions. The second stanza shifts to the fourth person and invites the reader directly into the perspective. Finally, the poem closes on the speaker’s first-person experience.

Language and Meaning

The language in “Sycamore Gap” is largely simple and...