Civia Stein’s For Those Neglected

This is an absolutely beautiful persona poem. Not only does it do an effective job of depicting the world through the perspective of a house plant, but it does so with a greater purpose. It conveys a strong sense of loneliness, desperation, and neediness. The title shows that the poem does not aim to merely describe the world of a plant, but rather the world of anyone who is neglected. The first line immediately draws the reader into an empty microcosm. The simple sentence, “the world stands still” paints a picture of an abandoned, motionless realm. I love the lines, “the clock chimes time to stay, time to go– for others…for myself I am alone.” The idea that time is absolutely meaningless for the speaker of the poem is demonstrated quite well and it furthers the idea of an almost painfully empty existence. I also really like the idea that both plants and humans store sunshine in some way. For the plant literal sunshine provides nutrients. For humans the sunshine of happy memories and warm experiences provides them with comfort during times of suffering. However, just like the limits this “sunshine” has when it comes to easing one’s strife, sunlight alone cannot keep the plant alive. It needs nurturing. This is conveyed in the powerful lines, “But the sun can only do so much, I am alive You don’t remember the can by the door, so close, never in my grasps.” To me, that is such a beautiful and heartbreaking portrait of neglect. There is a hard-hitting sense of being forgotten. Fortunately, the poem ends on a happy note as the plant receives the nurture it needs. Overall, this poem is lovely and multi-faceted.