Sounds of the Day: Overview

Sounds of the Day: Overview

‘Sounds of the Day’: Overview

Context

• “Sounds of the Day” is a poem by Norman MacCaig, a key figure in Scottish poetry.
• Written in the mid-20th century, the poem is considered a classic example of MacCaig’s observational style.

Themes

• The poem deals with themes of memory, loss and the passage of time.
• The use of natural and everyday sounds in the poem emphasises the naturalness of life and death.
• The poem reflects on the idea that important events can be marked by small, seemingly insignificant moments.

Structure and Style

• The poem is written in four quatrains, each with a uniform ABCB rhyme scheme.
• Each stanza has a sense of progression, mirroring the passage of time.
• MacCaig uses enjambment to reflect the continuance of memory and the natural flow of time.

Imagery and Symbolism

• MacCaig uses descriptive language and sound imagery to explore memories and emotions.
• The repetitive sound of the closing and opening door is symbolic of life’s continual cycle of endings and beginnings.
• The shift in description of the ‘you’ in the poem from physically present, to distant, to a memory suggests the passage of time and loss.

Language

• MacCaig uses a range of techniques, including repetition, onomatopoeia, and alliteration to create clear, evocative sound imagery.
• He uses simple, everyday language to paint vivid pictures of the sounds and their associated memories, making the poem accessible and relatable.

Summary

• The poem is a reflection on the sounds associated with a significant personal loss.
• The speaker focuses on ordinary sounds he associates with ‘you’ (a loved one), from the sound of the closing door signalling their departure to the silence left in their absence.
• Through this focus on ordinary sounds, MacCaig subtly yet profoundly explores the themes of loss, memory, and time.