7. Time and Time Again - Poetry - Class 12 - Kaleidoscope

Jul 11
4 min read

Updated: Jul 12

Author: A.K. Ramanujan

Textbook: Kaleidoscope

Genre: Poem / Philosophical Lyric / Contemporary Indian English Poetry

Summary

In Time and Time Again, A.K. Ramanujan uses the metaphor of clock towers in a city to reflect on the disjointed rhythms of time, society, and history. The poem opens with images of clock towers ringing differently—each gong distinct in tone and timing. These differences arise from technical variations—metal alloys, manufacturing quirks, and physical distance. However, Ramanujan moves beyond mechanical imperfections to symbolic meanings. The asynchronous chimes represent cultural and communal differences—Hindu, Muslim, and Christian divisions—that coexist in uneasy harmony.

These gongs sometimes fall silent, interrupted by quarrels, sirens, riots, or even lightning. The poem climaxes in the image of a damaged clock—its face broken by a riot, a bomb, or a storm—symbolizing the sudden destruction of order. In these moments, time seems to pause, reflecting both the fragility of peace and the impact of communal conflict or natural disasters.

Ramanujan subtly critiques human disharmony and the illusion of control over time. His tone is thoughtful, melancholic, and subtly ironic, exploring how the past repeats itself in cycles of violence, miscommunication, and fragile unity—again and again.

Character Sketch (Not Applicable)

The poem is meditative and philosophical; it has no central character. However, the speaker acts as an observer—a reflective thinker who comments on society, time, and recurring violence.

Themes

Theme	Description
Fragmentation of Society	Clock towers ringing differently mirror religious and cultural disunity.
Time and Repetition	The poem explores cycles of violence and disorder that occur “time and time again.”
Human Imperfection	Differences in clock tones reflect human errors, biases, and uniqueness.
Communal Tensions	Riots and bombings disrupt the harmony of daily life, exposing fragility.
Power of Nature	Even nature disrupts man’s systems, showing its force and unpredictability.

✨ Literary Devices / Poetic Devices

Device	Example	Effect
Imagery	“eyeless, silent, a zigzag sky showing / through the knocked-out clockwork”	Visual imagery evokes destruction and absence.
Metaphor	Clock towers represent human society and cultural systems.	Suggests deeper commentary on disunity.
Alliteration	“peace-march time bomb”	Adds emphasis and musicality to serious events.
Symbolism	Clock towers and gongs symbolize time, order, and discord.	Connects physical structures to abstract ideas.
Enjambment	Flow of lines mimics the continuation and unpredictability of time.	Keeps tone meditative and philosophical.

Title Justification

The title Time and Time Again captures the central idea of cyclical repetition—of history, violence, and disunity. It reflects how human societies repeatedly fall into the same patterns of conflict and disorder, despite efforts to maintain peace. The ringing of clocks serves as a metaphor for this recurrence, and their differences in sound mirror social and religious fragmentation. The poem suggests that both man-made disturbances and acts of nature disrupt order repeatedly. Thus, the title powerfully emphasizes the inevitability and constancy of such events across time.

One-Mark Questions

What do the clock towers represent in the poem?
The clock towers symbolize human society and its fragmented, discordant nature. Each clock ringing differently reflects the cultural, religious, and social differences in society.
What disrupts the rhythm of the clocks?
The chimes are interrupted by quarrels, sirens, changing winds, and even natural disasters. This symbolizes how external forces—human or natural—disturb social harmony.
What is the tone of the poem?
The tone is reflective, melancholic, and subtly ironic. It critiques both communal disharmony and human limitations.
Why is the damaged clock tower significant?
It represents the breakdown of social and temporal order. The cause—riot, bomb, or storm—suggests the unpredictability of destruction.
How does the poem explore communal relationships?
It mentions the seasonal alliances and feuds of Hindus, Christians, and Muslims. These reflect recurring patterns of coexistence and conflict.

Three-Mark Questions

Explain how the clocks in the poem symbolize human society.Each clock in the city chimes differently due to technical imperfections—different alloys, distances, or manufacturing errors. This variation becomes a metaphor for social and cultural differences in human communities. Just as the clocks cannot be perfectly synchronized, human beings also struggle to live in harmony. The differences reflect not just diversity, but disconnection and historical tension. Ramanujan uses this to comment on the disjointed rhythm of society.
What is the significance of the line “a change of wind, a change of mind”?
This line suggests how fragile peace can be. Just as the wind shifts easily, human moods and opinions can suddenly change. Such shifts can cause serious disruptions, symbolized by sirens or quarrels. The phrase implies that instability—whether internal or external—is a constant threat to harmony. It emphasizes the unpredictability of human relationships.
Discuss the role of nature in the poem.
Nature is portrayed as powerful and precise. The “night of lightnings” or “act of nature” destroys even well-maintained structures like clock towers. This shows that man’s creations are vulnerable to natural forces. Nature, like human conflict, can suddenly break the illusion of control. Ramanujan uses this to highlight the futility of human order against larger, uncontrollable forces.

Value-Based Question

Q: What deeper reflection does the poem offer on modern society and time?The poem suggests that despite technological progress and efforts to maintain social order, society remains fragmented and vulnerable. Time does not move in a harmonious, unified way—instead, it is marked by disruptions, divisions, and tragedies that repeat “time and time again.” Ramanujan calls for a recognition of this reality—not to induce despair, but to foster awareness, tolerance, and perhaps better understanding among communities. The poem teaches us that true unity requires more than mechanical order—it needs compassion, foresight, and collective effort.

End

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