So today we went over the poem by Sharon Olds called True Love , and I didn't really think much of it until we really started deconstructing it line by line as a class. For starters, the opening line is very alluring, "in the middle of the night when we get up after making love". How can you not keep reading after that! The rest of the poem talks about how the narrator, (who I concluded was in fact a woman due to her trouble walking down the hall after making love), and her husband are bound together in various ways using similes and metaphors. As i get to the end of the poem, when I read the "I cannot see beyond it" lines, I automatically get this sinking feeling because I interpret that as though their relationship stops being good after they stop touching. However after the class discussion I realized that this poem is in fact about true love and I believe Olds not being able to "see beyond it" is a testament to her deep love and admiration for her husband, and her not being able to see past the love they share. Oh and apparently they have great sex.
Overall, as short as it was, this poem was really powerful and touching. The enjambment style that was used really kept the poem flowing and made it easy to read.
(Above is a picture of what I consider to be Olds' poem in human form. And heres a link to and extremely cheesy montage of the two pictured above. I repeat EXTREMELY cheesy)
I liked your interpretation of the line "I cannot see beyond it". The first time I read the poem I got a bad feeling about that line too, at first it seemed that the poem was only about sex and when the couple stops touching their relationship stops as well. At first it seemed that when Old's said "I cannot see beyond it" she meant she could not see beyond the sex.
ReplyDeleteI think that when she says "I cannot see beyond it" Old's is saying that the only thing she sees is the relationship her and her husband have and she cannot see anything beyond it.
Also, I like the picture you posted of Jack and Rose in Titanic, they definitely demonstrate true love, and the quote "I cannot see beyond it" applies to how they feel about each other and the relationship they create.
Hey I did the same story you did. I agree with you completely it was a interesting story to read. I also listen carefully to the metaphors the author used in her story. I didnt really understand the end but your explanation seems correct. Also good job paying atention to every detail. I miss the part where she says she could barely walk after sex. I wasnt 100% sure if it was a women speaking until that line.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you assume that they're married? I'm fairly certain that at no point does the narrator refer to her significant other as a husband; in fact, I don't believe that she refers to her "better half" as anything.
ReplyDeletethats true, i never thought about the fact that she never says they are married. i was just judging by the language she used and the fact they have children. so they may just be good friends for all we know!
ReplyDeleteOh, I thought I was the only one that concluded the narrator was a woman!
ReplyDeleteI liked your interpretation, but I didn't really get why she's not able to see beyond the love they share.
Great choice of picture, I can't think of a better description of true love like Jack and Rose.
Your blog is somewhat humorous.
ReplyDelete"in the middle of the night when we get up after making love". How can you not keep reading after that!
LOL