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Analysis of "Zero Hour" by Dean Young

Original poem reprinted online here: "Zero Hour" by Dean Young
Originally read: December 10, 2012
More information about the Poet:  Dean Young





"It's like the poem is written by a sociopath who loves Opera."

Well not exactly, the speaker does point out the fallacy and absurdity in life.  The first line of this poem just grabbed my attention "Like when you realize sunsets are / out to kill you,"  And, on one level, yes age is out to kill you -- kill you until you die which the poem (humorously) gestures to age with the lines, "[...] it's better the libretto's / in a language you don't understand until / you're older and damaged."

So once the poem sets up the premise that the speaker brings intersting insight but isn't totally connected (or there) the poem can go wherever it wants, but it doesn't -- well mostly.

In the latter part of the pom, there's a focus on fire imagery "warm" "fire" "glowing" which correlates back to "Zero Hour" and to sunsets but focuses to a more visceral war which is never stated in the poem -- explosions.

The last line of the poem brings in a personal flair "Or wouldn't again."  If nothing else, time has passed after the fire -- after sunsets.

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