Analysis of Neil Hilborn's poem OCD

This paper examines Neil Hilborn’s poem OCD, focusing on its radical departure from traditional love poetry. Instead of cosmic metaphors and passionate declarations, the poem builds its power through absence, repetition, and the sound of inner noise. The analysis shows how these stylistic choices convey both the lived reality of obsessive-compulsive disorder and the poet’s quick, energetic personality, while turning everyday details into enduring symbols of loyalty and quiet love.