In Ordinary Heroes, author Scott Turow asks, “Who are we but the stories we tell ourselves, about ourselves, and believe?” If you picture a scale with “I’m a star” at one end and “I’m a loser” at the other end, most people’s stories probably cluster somewhere in the middle. In “Love After Love” Walcott explores the theme of identity by telling a story about a meeting between you and yourself. It’s a positive story, with smiles and love and food, but we’re not told what you and yourself end up telling each other. Walcott leaves that up to you, the reader, to imagine.
Questions About Identity
- Does this poem’s definition of identity resonate with you? If not, why not? If so, what kinds of stories do you tell, and believe, about yourself?
- Why are “you” so happy to see “yourself” again in this poem? Why is that such a joyful thing?
- Is the person “whom you ignored/ for another” (10-11) a real person? Or could it be yet another version of “you” in this poem? What parts of the poem give you your ideas?
- What is the identity of the poem’s speaker? How do you know?
Chew on This
“Love After Love” is about reconnecting with yourself after a bad break-up. We can really lose ourselves in someone else, and that can be a pretty unhealthy experience (not to mention super-confusing).
This poem’s message is that “you” are the most important person in your life. Without self-love, you can’t love anyone else. (So go on and give yourself a big hug today.)