The Partial Explanation

In “The Partial Explanation,” Charles Simic brings a gloomy and downcast tone, using diction, syntax and imagery to show that a friend makes all the difference. Words like “grimy”, “darker,” and “longing” give a vivid impression of incompletion and discontent. Simic lets these words set the stage and create the feeling of the poem. Additionally, the poem is comprised of short sentences, giving it a choppy and uneven rhythm. There is no flow, and this complements the unsatisfactory and dark diction. Finally, Simic uses imagery to set the scene as a cold day when the “snow was falling outside.” Who likes a cold day? Nobody, that’s who. Simic combines these elements to create a complete poem, showing the reader that a cold day is better when somebody is by your side.