Even though "The Guitarist Tunes Up" is about, well, a guitarist tuning up, there's that comparison to "a man with a loved woman." In fact, when you look for it, the theme of love runs throughout the entire poem. True, the entire poem is only 8 lines long, but still, it's there. And in this poem, love seems to be all about good communication. After all, the success of the guitarist's tune-up relies on a good ear as he listens to his instrument. And what loving relationship doesn't depend on a good ear, too?
Questions About Love
- The first time you read the poem, when did you get the sense that there was more going on than just the description of a musician tuning his instrument? How could you tell?
- Do you think Cornford saw a guitarist tuning up and that observation led to the poem, or do you think she saw two lovers whispering to each other and that was the starting point? Why? And does the answer matter when it comes to understanding the poem?
- Would you consider "The Guitarist Tunes Up" a love poem? Why or why not?
Chew on This
"The Guitarist Tunes Up" is not a poem about romantic love. Cornford compares the guitarist to the couple in love to give us a stronger sense of the passion the musician feels for his music and the instrument that allows him to play it.
The title of this poem is a big, fat lie. "The Guitarist Tunes Up" is a love poem disguised as a poem about a guitar player. Nice try, Frances.