The Art of Disappearing

Throughout “The Art of Disappearing,” the speaker gives readers advice about how to avoid social situations. In the last stanza, when she says “[w]alk around feeling like a leaf. / Know you could tumble any second” (Lines 24-25), she explains using metaphor why she is advising the reader to seek more solitude: Life is short, and no one knows how much time they have to live; ergo, it is important not to waste that time.

The speaker alludes to life’s importance and examining choices through subtle word choices throughout the poem. In the lines, “[i]f they say We should get together / say why?” (Lines 10-11), she does not directly tell the reader to say “no.” She advises instead to ask if there is a specific reason for getting together. She implies that there is likely no reason but also leaves open the possibility that there could be one. Readers themselves need to ascertain if there is something worthwhile to pursue before making a commitment. This implies that the weight of that reason needs to outweigh the importance of “remember[ing] something / too important to forget” (Lines 13-14).

The speaker encourages readers to examine life even in the last line, when she writes, “[t]hen decide what to do with your time” (Line 26).