Wheels

In “Wheels,” Jim Daniels sets a nostalgic tone, using symbolism, syntax and repetition to show that life is always moving forward, and maturing is about saying goodbye to the past and welcoming the future. Daniels mourns the loss of his brother and reflects on his brother’s life, but he can’t come to terms with the loss. As such, he uses objects like cars and cameras to represent emotions. The word “waving” is repeated fourteen times throughout the poem and is used as a way for time to move forward. As his brother enters new stages in his life, he waves goodbye to the last stage. Additionally, there is very little punctuation in the poem, for example “holding a wrench a rag a hose a shammy waving.” Usually there should be commas to separate the subjects, but Daniels, through his lack of punctuation, shows that life continues and waits for nobody.