BA English Poetry: Hidden meaning of the peom 'One Art' by Elizabeth Bishop

Irony is about what might be expected and what actually occurs. It consists in what is unsaid more than what is said. According to Prof. Chevalier,

‘the basic feature of every irony is the contrast between appearance and reality’. 

One Art” seems a poem on a non-serious topic but underneath message is serious and sane. The poetess doesn’t mean that we should lose things; she advises us not to lose things. Ironically, the art of losing is very hard to master. It is never easy to forget our dear ones and important losses because losing means disaster.

The new art is not the art of losing; but the art of protecting things. 

If we are keen to develop a healthy and constructive attitude in life, we should learn this new art. If we protect things, we will not lose them. This prepares us against defeats and losses. This new art liberates us from worries and cares about things.