In what ways does Dobson make The Three Fates such an intriguing poem?
The Three Fates
At the instant of drowning he invoked the three sisters.
It was a mistake, an aberration, to cry out for
Life everlasting.
He came up like a cork and back to the river-bank,
Put on his clothes in reverse order,
Returned to the house.
He suffered the enormous agonies of passion
Writing poems from the end backwards,
Brushing away tears that had not yet fallen.
Loving her wildly as the day regressed towards morning
He watched her swinging in the garden, growing younger,
Bare-foot, straw-hatted.
And when she was gone and the house and the swing and daylight
There was an instant’s pause before it began all over,
The reel unrolling towards the river.
(Rosemary Dobson)

Dobson’s “The Three Fates” is an intriguing poem that captures the reader’s attention through various literary techniques and thematic elements. Let’s explore how Dobson achieves this intrigue in the poem.

Ambiguity and Mystery: The poem opens with the protagonist invoking the three sisters at the moment of drowning, but it is described as a “mistake” and an “aberration” to cry out for “Life everlasting.” This ambiguity creates a sense of mystery and raises questions in the reader’s mind. Who are these three sisters? Why did the protagonist call upon them? What were the consequences of his actions? These unanswered questions invite the reader to delve deeper into the poem and seek meaning, adding to its intrigue.