The Possibility -- Poetry Response #12

"The Possibility," by James Fenton sounds depressing. It made me think of someone with a writer's block of sorts; Fenton can't seem to do anything that he should be able to. When Fenton talks about the flower that was beautiful yesterday, he is referring the worth in life. He can't see the beauty and worth that he could see before. Throughout the poem, Fenton talks about what used to be. I get the feeling that Fenton feels stuck; he knows that he should be able to see the good in his work, that he should be able to see the beauty, but he can't. I think the possibility that Fenton refers to is a dream. When a person starts out, there is always the possibility of making a difference in the world or becoming famous, but after a while, a person can become depressed and discouraged. I think the possibility of doing something good seems to be fading for Fenton, which is why nothing seems beautiful or worthwhile anymore.