Example unseen poetry Q1
essay 1

In ‘The washing never gets done’, how does the poet present ideas about daily life and connecting with the natural world?

In ‘The Washing Never Gets Done’, Kaplinski conveys how the hustle and bustle of daily life can be overwhelming as there can be a plethora of things to get done. However, Kaplinski also conveys how reflecting on the natural world in all its beauty and splendour can slow down the busy, fast-paced nature of daily life.

In ‘The Washing Never Gets Done’, Kaplinski implies that the fast-paced nature of daily life can be overwhelming as it seems as though the universe is working against everyone — everything goes wrong. In this poem, the poet uses one stanza to convey the intensity of daily life — the lines don’t get a break from each other, people feel as though they can’t catch a break from the stress of the tasks that must be completed. Kaplinski also uses short sentences with polysyndeton which allude to the monotonous nature of daily life — it is just one string of the same after another. The use of enjambment furthers this idea as in the phrase “When the fence is repaired at one end, it collapses at the other.” This suggests that for the speaker, when they feel as though they’ve solved one problem, another arises. Kaplinski vividly uses this to convey the unpredictable rhythm of life. Finally, the use of listing and ellipsis in the phrase “there are cracks in the foundation, the torn knees of children’s pants...” creates a repetitive and relentless sense. Kaplinski also uses a simile when describing life as “a ball which one must continuously catch and hit so it won’t fall.” This conveys the idea that if people aren’t vigilant and don’t stay on top of the challenges that life throws at them, things can become drastically horrible quickly.

Kaplinski then contrasts this to the idyllic imagery of the natural world to create a sense of peace that can come from appreciating the natural world in the midst of the chaos and disappointment of daily life. Kaplinski uses poetic diction and vivid imagery to describe the natural world by describing the spring as “full of everything.” The use of the word “full” conveys the abundance of natural life and the way in which its fullness can fill the void in the speaker’s heart which is caused by the stress of daily life. Through this, Kaplinski suggests that nature is a harbinger of peace. Moreover, the use of the noun “spring” could symbolically represent the new growth and life that spring brings about and therefore also the refreshment it brings to the speaker and, therefore also, to people. Kaplinski uses the repetition of the word “every” along with the caesura to slow down the pace of the poem and also illustrate the care and appreciation the speaker is taking in nature as seen in examining “every blade of grass” and “every dew drop.” This suggests that when people slow down and take time out of their busy daily life to appreciate the wonder and beauty of nature, it can bring them peace of mind and the will to continue with their day.

In ‘The Washing Never Gets Done’, Kaplinski vividly paints a portrait of the heavily-paced and taxing nature of daily life which can be both overwhelming and discouraging. By contrasting this to the imagery of the natural world in all its splendour, Kaplinski encourages people to be vigilant about the natural world around them in the midst of their stressful lives as it can bring about peace.