Love Analysis

Choose one of the following poems to analyze

- Answer the questions:

How did you feel as you read the poem?

What do you think of the poet's ideas? Do you agree? Why or why not?

What are your favourite images in the poem? Why did you choose them?

What do you think of the sound of the poem? (rhyme, rhythm, repetition, tone, etc)

How does the poem connect with your personal life?

What would you say to the poet about this poem if you had the chance?

What do you think the poem is saying?

Love After Love

The time will come when, with elation you will greet yourself arriving at your own door, in your own mirror and each will smile at the other's welcome,

and say, sit here. Eat. You will love again the stranger who was your self. Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored for another, who knows you by heart. Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desperate notes, peel your own image from the mirror. Sit. Feast on your life.

-Derek Walcott

Valentine

Not a red rose or a satin heart.

I give you an onion. It is a moon wrapped in brown paper. It promises light like the careful undressing of love.

Here. It will blind you with tears like a lover. It will make your reflection a wobbling photo of grief.

I am trying to be truthful. Not a cute card or a kissogram.

I give you an onion. Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips, possessive and faithful as we are, for as long as we are.

Take it. Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding-ring, if you like.

Lethal. Its scent will cling to your fingers, cling to your knife.

-Carol Ann Duffy

A Red, Red Rose

O my Luve's like a red, red rose That's newly sprung in June; O my Luve's like the melodie That's sweetly played in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonnie lass, So deep in luve am I; And I will luve thee still, my dear, Till a' the seas gang dry:

Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear, And the rocks melt wi' the sun; I will luve thee still, my dear, While the sands o' life shall run.

And fare thee weel, my only Luve, And fare thee weel awhile! And I will come again, my Luve, Tho' it ware ten thousand mile.

-Robert Burns

Farewell to Love

Since there’s not help, come let us kiss and part; Nay, I am done, you get no more of me; And I am glad, yea, glad with all my heart, That thus so cleanly I myself can free;

Shake hands for ever, cancel all our vows, And when we meet at any time again, Be it not seen in either of our brows That we, one jot of former love retain. Now, at the last gasp of love’s latest breath, When his pulse failing, passion speechless lies, When faith is kneeling by his bed of death,

And innocence is closing up his eyes, Now, if thou woulds’t, when all have given him over, From death to life Thou might’st him yet recover.

- Michael Drayton

When We Two Parted

When we two parted In silence and tears, Half broken-hearted To sever the years, Pale grew thy cheek and cold, Colder, thy kiss;

Truly that hour foretold Sorrow to this.

The dew of the morning Sunk, chill on my brow, It felt like the warning Of what I feel now.

Thy vows are all broken, And light is thy fame; I hear thy name spoken, And share in its shame.

They name thee before me, A knell to mine ear; A shudder comes o’er me... Why wert thou so dear? They know not I knew thee, Who knew thee too well.. Long, long shall I rue thee, Too deeply to tell.

In secret we met In silence I grieve That thy heart could forget, Thy spirit deceive. If I should meet thee After long years, How should I greet thee? With silence and tears.

- Lord Byron