The circle of life, revolves around death and life but also the in-between and what we don't know about the after life is a big mystery, which takes us back to the unseen, the living dead, or just the dead. It reminds me of the lilacs that bloom from dead land, which could possibly signify that even though we lose people, we also gain new life.

Decaying, passing life, getting older, leading up to death.

Oil and tar are something that usually makes a river or anything with water look dead, untouchable and contaminated.

Wind could be the unseen? And brown land seems to be talking about contaminated/polluted land, wasteland.

This makes me think of that boundary between the dead and living where the wind is unseen, just as a soul or a ghost could be believed to roam the earth. You see nothing but you can hear the wind, you can believe you hear the living dead. Its unnatural.

Seems to be describing makeup products, which could lead back to a theme of the unnatural. Trying to cover up the natural with something synthetic.

So far, there seems to be a lot of connections between what we consider the living and dead. Such as the Lilacs(living) and dead land. Dull roots since the word dull seems like a dark, gloomy word compared to roots.Life and dried,etc.

Could it mean to show fear in dust as in ashes? or to show fear in dust as in the dirt or land of where the narrator came from and because they would show fear it would be a haunting past?

It's a strange image almost like flowers blooming in a cemetery, which is basically the land of the dead. The fact that such a beautiful thing can come from dirt/soil that no one cares too much about is unnatural, or abnormal.

This poem seems very scattered which is why the word analysis really popped out at me. Could it be that the speaker is trying to search for a connection between her everyday tasks and happiness?

is leave supposed to be a form of asking for permission or rudely asking someone to let them be?

is tranquil being used as a substitute for sedative?

I think it could be taken literal but the repetition of this line makes me read it like a person who keeps repeating something in their head in order to not do it. It seems as the cold dark night is freezing this person to death because he stayed out too long.

The poem is placed in the evening but the author plays a lot with the speakers sight. He can watch the woods fill with snow, yet its the darkest evening of the year. I found it interesting how he plays with sight and time. Usually the evening can start at 6 but if its a dark night wouldn't he be unable to see snow falling so clearly?

The word diverged is important because the poem speaks about the two roads and its important to note that they are obviously separated for a reason. The speaker sees as far as they can but they seem equal that morning. To diverge a road is to go in different directions, and of course the end result is different depending on what road you take.

The word good goes around quite a bit in this poem, it carries a sense of superiority from the speaker. As to say, I did this for good of mankind and then that superiority is destroyed as the object of goodness is sold like it was nothing. In this line, it then changes again and we could even replace the word with evil, "Choose your own evil, and call it good." Since evil and good seem to be interchangeable for the speaker.

This word makes me think of someone who is saying their last words, on the brink of crying or feeling a sense of defeat because they are almost not able to finish their thought.

Although the poem is called "The Clerks," it is not until this line the actual word clerk is used to describe the clerks. The words "them" "they" "their" in which are words in this case that are used in a way that were connected to the speaker at one point. When the speaker finally uses the work "clerks" it adds a disconnect, since time has passed.

I think this could have two meanings, one that she's sick and can't do much because she tires easily but also it could be speaking about the role of a woman in a house. Usually they stay and "do nothing" but they have to take care of themselves and the home to prepare for the husband's arrival. Yet it is always seen as an easier job than of a man.

We are able to see that women are belittled in this time period and how women react so casual about it.

I think he refers to his point of view of the world he lives in, yes others think they are a problem but many of the people affected by that responded with "silent hatred," with no strife as he mentions yet he is able to think about it in a way where he thinks that if he is just able to become a doctor, lawyer or a writer, then maybe he has a chance at a different outcome rather than giving up.

... although "their" world was shut out by a veil, he still had his own world where the sky was blue and even bluer when he could showcase how much better he was at exams, etc yet he still felt like a "problem" because no matter how hard he tried they would always come out at top.

Could this be a spiritual world or one that is divided by race?

It feels as though he is asking if its his fault.

It sounds as he is switching sides, from religion to technology?

This can be tied to the idea of change that is brought up through this excerpt, how technology and science is evolving but its not the only thing that is changing, as life moves on there are new ideas and perceptions about certain topics.

It seems as Adams is accepting new technology and science.

This can be connected to Levine's They Feed They Lion because the industrial is being left behind.

Every line from the start seems to feed the "lion," which can be a metaphor for anger and how everything that has happened as helped the lion grow and grow until the day he comes and unleashes all the pent up anger.

This line gives me clarity on the purpose of the poem, the poem seems to be about oppression and how those affected are now fighting back.

It seems that this gives us the location and since Kiss My Ass is capitalized it can be used to describe the speakers destination.