Clocks

Poem Title: Clocks

Poet: Coldplay Coldplay

Poem Text

Clocks / Coldplay Coldplay
Lights go out and I can't be seen 
Tides that I tried to swim against 
Have put me down upon my knees 
I beg, I beg and plead singing 

Come out of things unsaid 
Shouldn't I pull off my head and a 
Trouble that cant be named 
Tigers waiting to be tamed singing 

You are 

Confusion never stops 
Closing walsl and ticking clocks 
Gonna come back and take you home 
I could not stop the tune I know singing 

Come out upon my seas, 
Cursed missed opportunities 
Am I a part of the cure 
Or am I part of the disease,
singing 

You are, you are, you are 

And nothing else compares 


You are 

Home, home where I wanted to go
    

Analysis

The poem presents a fragmented narrative that oscillates between personal introspection and an ambiguous external reality. The repeated motif of clocks underscores a sense of urgency, time pressure, or existential dread. Visual imagery—“Lights go out,” “Tides that I tried to swim against”—suggests a struggle against forces beyond the speaker’s control.

Repetition of “You are” functions as a refrain, hinting at identity or an attempt to anchor the self within an otherwise chaotic environment. The contrast between “cure” and “disease” reflects a tension between healing and self‑destructive impulses.

Stylistically, the poem blends lyrical diction with abrupt line breaks, creating a rhythm that mirrors the ticking clocks referenced. The absence of punctuation in some lines heightens the sense of disjointedness, inviting readers to fill gaps with personal interpretation.

Overall, the poem evokes a claustrophobic landscape where time and identity intertwine, leaving the reader to ponder what remains “in the dark” after the lights go out.