Taylor 1

Kelly Taylor

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ENG 252

September 11, 2017

In a Tub In a Nutshell

Amy Hempels In a Tub is a masterfully paced and chronologically ambiguous piece that

directly identifies the necessity of silence and solitude. Hempels deliberate use of em dashes,

simple sentences, and line breaks are a visual representation of the major theme of isolation

throughout the poem, which, she insists, is necessary for meaningful introspection to take place.

The first instance of this isolation occurs in the very first sentence with the anastrophe of

My heartI thought it stopped (Hemple 1). Right off the bat, our flow is interrupted by a

deliberate punctuation choice. This forces emphasis upon the subject: the narrators heart. Two

stanzas later, the em dashes return, now isolating the meditative actions of the narrator, as he/she

sits, listening, in an empty church (Hemple 6-7).

Lines 4, 13, 18, and 21 are phonetically punctuated by simple sentences and line breaks

that separate each major chronological section of the poem, which allows readers to focus on the

significance of each experience. By placing these formal components so intentionally, Hempel

promotes a meaningful reading of the poem, forcing her audience to align with her view;

specifically, that we must isolate and/or pace ourselves in order to hear what is most vital to us.