"The sun shines through their borderlines"

• Language

  • Symbolism of “maps” and “borderlines” highlights human attempts to divide and control land and people.
  • The personification of the sun “shining through” suggests nature’s power to overcome and dissolve human boundaries.
  • Implies the fragility and futility of human control.
• Form

  • Free verse and short, simple sentences make the statement direct and impactful, mirroring the straightforward power of nature breaking through complexity.
  • The abrupt sentence “Maps too.” stands alone, creating emphasis and isolation of the concept of human control.
• Structure

  • The use of caesura (full stop after “Maps too.”) isolates the idea, forcing the reader to pause and consider the limitations of human power.
  • The following line flows, symbolising the continuous natural force against static human divisions.
• Writers Intent and Context

  • Dharker, who has lived between cultures and countries, reflects on how identity is often shaped by arbitrary borders, which nature easily transcends.
  • This challenges political nationalism and extremism, relevant to the poem’s collection themes of terrorism and conflict.
  • Suggests a universal human identity beyond imposed divisions.