An Iron Balloon
The poem 'An Iron Balloon' by Igor Goldkind uses stark imagery to convey a sense of existential emptiness and the decay of once cherished ideals and memories. The metaphor of a 'banquet of emptiness' suggests a feast that is devoid of substance, highlighting the futility of seeking fulfillment in a hollow existence. The imagery of 'ghouls at a christening' and 'body snatchers at the wake' evokes a sense of macabre scavenging, reflecting on the remnants of life and eternity that are overlooked and forgotten. The shattered mirror symbolizes the fragmentation of identity and the disintegration of once cohesive dreams and aspirations. The poem culminates in the image of a 'defeated Zeppelin,' a once majestic airship now collapsed under the weight of an 'Iron Balloon,' representing the oppressive burden of reality and disillusionment. Through these vivid images, Goldkind explores themes of loss, decay, and the relentless passage of time.
| Word | In English | Plain (English) | Pron. |
|---|---|---|---|
| crumbs | small pieces | tiny bits of food or fragments | kruhmz |
| banquet | feast | a large meal or celebration | bang-kwit |
| ghouls | ghosts | evil spirits or monsters | goolz |
| christening | baptism | a religious ceremony for naming a child | kris-uh-ning |
| scavenge | search | to look for and collect | skav-inj |
| morsels | small pieces | tiny portions of food | mor-suhlz |
| sediment | deposits | material that settles at the bottom | sed-uh-muhnt |
| obsolete | outdated | no longer in use | ob-suh-leet |
| Zeppelin | airship | a large airship or blimp | zep-lin |
| virtues | good qualities | moral excellence | vur-chooz |
| eternity | forever | infinite time | ee-tur-ni-tee |
| trillion | a huge number | one million million | tril-yuhn |
| shatters | breaks | to break into pieces | shat-urz |
| inflated | filled | expanded with air or gas | in-flay-tid |
| collapsed | fell down | to fall or cave in | kuh-lapst |
Igor Goldkind is a contemporary poet known for his work that often explores themes of existentialism and the human condition. His poetry is characterized by its vivid imagery and philosophical depth.
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