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Analysis of "Gremlin" by Karl Kirchwey

Original poem reprinted online here:  "Gremlin" by Karl Kirchwey
Originally read: December 4, 2012
More information about the Poet: Karl Kirchwey


At the very beginning of the poem there is a slight epigraph, "(The Twilight Zone reruns)"  and I wrote down "I wonder why the author specified here and not in the poem."

The poem itself follows a pretty simple arc -- from a focus of the show, then to the personal, then to the show, then to the personal.  The shifts create a buffer and/or enhancement to the poignancy of either aspect (personal/show).

The epigraph in the beginning is such a small part, yet, again my focus is mostly towards how the show impacts the speaker's life rather than any other mode like the the speaker's life, the history behind the show, etc.

I follow the idea of the epigraph to the end, where incidentally enough the poem ends with a observation of the actual gremlin (show, man, myth, symbol).  Is it bad for me to write that this poem is based on pity -- that in the end, I feel like I should sympathize with all the characters introduced in the poem, including William Shatner? And, still, I don't know if I'm there yet.

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