The Art of Disappearing

The title of the poem “The Art of Disappearing” is hyperbolic, meaning it’s exaggerative. The poet uses metaphor, figurative language, and exaggeration to give the reader advice about getting away from society to spend more time in solitude pursuing things that are “too important to forget” (Line 14) and taking more time to “decide what to do with [their] time” (Line 26).

Throughout the poem the speaker uses hyperbole to exaggerate the tasks a reader must undertake to escape socializing. The title is the first example, in which Shihab Nye calls the act “The Art of Disappearing.” By using this hyperbole, she suggests that getting away from others might require a kind of magic. Instead of merely declining an invitation to a party, it suggests a supernatural power that makes the “disappearing” person more special than those who are still visible.

The speaker advises the reader to be definitive, implying the reader should lie to avoid interacting with strangers and old friends. When others ask, “Don’t I know you?” (Line 1), respond “no” (Line 2) definitively. When people say, “We should get together” (Line 10), readers should ask “why?” (Line 11).