“Boxes” Introduction

• Read the full text of “Boxes”

“Boxes” Summary

“Boxes” Themes

• 

  The Oppressive Nature of Urban Life

  Where this theme appears in the poem:

  • Lines 1-20

Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “Boxes”

• Lines 1-5

  Her balcony bears ...
  ... in a jar.

  

  

  

  

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• Lines 6-10

  On one side ...
  ... threatening to fall.

  

  

  

  

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• Lines 11-15

  Sleeping room only, ...
  ... on a dump.

  

  

  

  

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• Lines 16-20

  Every day the ...
  ... out the light.

  

  

  

  

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“Boxes” Symbols

• 

  The Orchid

  Where this symbol appears in the poem:

  • Lines 1-4: “Her balcony bears an orchid smuggled in a duffle bag / from Singapore. Its roots cling to air. For two hours / every morning the harsh October sun turns tender / at its leaves.”

“Boxes” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language

• Imagery

  

  

  

  

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  Where imagery appears in the poem:

  • Line 2: “Its roots cling to air.”
  • Lines 3-4: “the harsh October sun turns tender / at its leaves”
  • Lines 8-9: “Through the window bars the sing-song of voices high / then low in steady arcs.”
  • Line 15: “two giant black pigs lie dead, or asleep, on a dump”

• Metaphor

  

  

  

  

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  Where metaphor appears in the poem:

  • Line 5: “she is a giant insect fretting in a jar”
  • Lines 8-9: “the sing-song of voices high / then low in steady arcs”
  • Lines 16-17: “the city grows taller, trampling underfoot / students wives lovers babies”
  • Lines 18-19: “The sea becomes a distant memory of lashing wave / and neon, siren to seven islands, once”
  • Lines 19-20: “The sky strides / inland on giant stilts”

• Alliteration

  

  

  

  

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  Where alliteration appears in the poem:

  • Line 1: “balcony bears,” “bag”
  • Line 3: “turns tender”
  • Line 5: “giant,” “jar”
  • Line 13: “trains,” “tracks”
  • Line 15: “dead,” “dump”
  • Line 16: “taller, trampling”
  • Line 19: “siren,” “seven,” “sky strides”
  • Line 20: “stilts”

• Enjambment

  

  

  

  

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  Where enjambment appears in the poem:

  • Lines 1-2: “bag / from”
  • Lines 2-3: “hours / every”
  • Lines 3-4: “tender / at”
  • Lines 4-5: “and / already”
  • Lines 6-7: “she / cooks”
  • Lines 8-9: “high / then lo”
  • Lines 13-14: “tracks / to”
  • Lines 16-17: “underfoot / students”
  • Lines 18-19: “wave / and”
  • Lines 19-20: “strides / inland”

“Boxes” Vocabulary

Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.

• Fretting
• Dal
• Arcs
• Readying you for cramp
• Siren

• (Location in poem: Line 5: “a giant insect fretting in a jar”)

Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “Boxes”

• Form

• Meter

• Rhyme Scheme

“Boxes” Speaker

“Boxes” Setting

Literary and Historical Context of “Boxes”

More “Boxes” Resources

• External Resources

  • Chattarji's Life and Work — Read a short biography of Chattarji to learn more about her life and poetry.

  • Chattarji on Poetry — Watch a short video in which Chattarji discusses writing poetry for children.

  • An Interview with Chattarji — Read an interview with Chattarji in which she discusses the influence of her multilingualism on her work.

  • Sight May Strike You Blind — Learn more about the collection this poem comes from on Chattarji's personal website.