Analysis of The Fine Line

Joe Strickland 1986 (Hobbysville, SC)



Open-mindedness
Can unfortunately
Transform
Into an absence
Of critical thinking. 
The vastness of thought
Curdling into void,
Where boundaries blur
Into nothingness,
And ideas dissolve
Into a haze
Of indifference,
Lost in the vast
Expanse of endless
Options.

A mind too open,
Like a door
Without a latch,
Invites the intrusion
Of every passing
Breeze,
Leaving one susceptible
To the whims
And fancies
Of others,
Drifting aimlessly
In the currents of opinion,
With no anchor
To guide
Or hold steadfast,
Floating adrift
In a sea
Of hollow echoes.

Empty promises
Of enlightenment whispered,
Like distant echoes
Bouncing off
Distant walls,
Fading into a resounding
Silence,
Devoid of substance.
An open mind
Should be tempered
With discernment.
Wisdom comes not
From blindly accepting all,
But from carefully
Sifting through
The sands of knowledge.

In the pursuit
Of open-mindedness,
One must remain cautious,
Navigating
The vast terrain
Of ideas
With purpose,
Avoiding
The treacherous
Trap
Of empty-mindedness.

It is in the depths
Of critical thinking,
Where open-mindedness
Blossoms
Into intellectual growth,
Where ideas
Find richness,
Depth,
And meaning.
Embrace
The open mind,
But not without
The discerning eye,
To ensure our thoughts
Flourish,
Not dissolve.  


Scheme abxcDxxeafxcgax hxxhdixxixbhexgxbj kljxxdccmlxxxbxx xaadxkadaxa xDaxxkaxdxmxxxxf
Poetic Form
Metre 10100 101000 01 01110 110010 01011 1011 11001 01100 001001 0101 10100 1001 01110 10 01110 101 0101 010010 110010 1 1010100 101 010 110 10100 00101010 1110 11 111 1001 001 11010 10100 1010010 11010 101 101 10010010 10 01110 1101 1110 1010 1011 1100101 11100 101 01110 0001 110100 110110 100 0101 1010 110 010 0100 1 110100 11001 110010 110100 10 0101001 1010 110 1 010 01 0101 1101 00101 101101 10 101
Closest metre Iambic dimeter
Characters 1,319
Words 272
Sentences 10
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 15, 18, 16, 11, 16
Lines Amount 76
Letters per line (avg) 14
Words per line (avg) 3
Letters per stanza (avg) 206
Words per stanza (avg) 39
Font size:
 

Written on July 12, 2023

Submitted by JoeStrickland on July 12, 2023

1:21 min read
8

Joe Strickland

Writer from South Carolina. Recently signed first publishing contract and is waiting for release date of first collection of poetry. I've never written a poem while completely sober. You can follow me on Twitter/X @JoeStricklandAU more…

All Joe Strickland poems | Joe Strickland Books

18 fans

Discuss this Joe Strickland poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "The Fine Line" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 6 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/164335/the-fine-line>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    June 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    24
    days
    12
    hours
    55
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    Who wrote the poem "School Boy" as a part of the poetry collection entitled "Songs of Experience"?
    A Walt Whitman
    B William Blake
    C Robert Frost
    D William Wordworth