The Studio
For a poem about love, there sure is a lot of talk about furniture going on here! That's because the whole studio is an extended metaphor for the woman's relationship. Almost every line in the poem...
The Daylight
There is a little bit of irony in the way night and day are used in this poem. Usually we expect darkness to suggest some sort of negativity, and we expect light to indicate something positive. But...
The Milkman
What is a milkman doing in a poem about a romantic relationship? Well, despite the cliché of bored housewives having trysts with their milkmen, there probably isn't a sneaky affair going on here....
The Beetle
The beetle is another odd figure. But check out the fact that Rich doesn't just mention a beetle, but focuses on his eyes. Maybe this beetle, like the milkman, is yet another "witness," reminding t...
The Piano
Pianos can be really lovely. They look beautiful; they sound beautiful. But when they are out of tune, they can sound pretty terrible. The piano in this poem plays both roles.Line 5: Here, the pian...