Maya Angelou

In a Time

In a Time - meaning Summary

Secret Love, Looming Ruin

The poem presents a time of secrecy in love, where hidden romance foreshadows ruin and moral tension. The speaker describes a heart torn by right and wrong, as furtive sighs, half-truths, and lies erode conscience and bring inner thunder. Across stanzas, the poem traces a pattern: brief joy when kingdoms come, followed quickly by pain that stalks to plunder. The speaker situates personal longing inside a cycle of attraction and consequence, emphasizing the loneliness and risk that come with secret desire.

Read Complete Analyses

In a time of secret wooing today prepares tomorrow's ruin left knows not what right is doing my heart is torn asunder. In a time of furtive sighs sweet hellos and sad goodbyes half-truths told and entire lies my conscience echoes thunder. In a time when kingdoms come joy is brief as summer's fun happiness its race has run then pain stalks in to plunder.

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