What is the theme of poem Pantoum for these eyes?

The theme of Billy Collins' "Pantoum for These Eyes" is the fleeting nature of time and memory, particularly as it relates to the speaker's aging and the inevitable loss of vision. The poem uses the pantoum form—with its repetitive lines and cyclical structure—to mirror this cyclical nature of life and the persistent, yet fading, memories associated with sight. The repetition subtly emphasizes the speaker's awareness of his changing perception and the way memories, once vivid, become increasingly blurred and distant, like the fading of his vision. The poem therefore explores themes of:

* Loss and mortality: The aging eyes are a powerful metaphor for the overall decline associated with growing old and the approach of death.

* Memory and nostalgia: The images described through the eyes evoke a strong sense of nostalgia and the preciousness of past experiences that are increasingly difficult to recall clearly.

* The power of perception: The poem highlights how our perception shapes our reality and how a loss of perception—in this case, eyesight—alters our relationship with the world.

* Acceptance of change: While acknowledging the sadness of loss, the poem ultimately suggests a quiet acceptance of the natural process of aging and the inevitable changes it brings.

The cyclical nature of the pantoum itself reinforces the cyclical nature of life, memory, and the speaker's relationship with his own aging eyes.