Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Whatever" by Carol Ann Duffy is a deeply poignant and intimate poem that explores the themes of love, memory, and longing. Through a series of tender requests, the speaker expresses a yearning to preserve and relive moments with a loved one, highlighting the powerful emotional connections that physical sensations and interactions can evoke.

The poem begins with the speaker's wish to take the loved one's hand, "the left," symbolizing companionship and guidance. This hand is desired to still "have life to hold my hand, the right," illustrating the deep connection and support found in the act of holding hands. This gesture is both a literal and metaphorical support as the speaker walks "alone where we walked," suggesting a journey they once shared and now the speaker continues in absence.

The desire for the loved one's lips to reappear when the speaker closes their eyes "as though in prayer" evokes a sense of sacredness and reverence in their memory. The lips are wished to manifest physically to kiss, smile, or speak, underscoring the craving for their comforting and familiar presence. This yearning extends to even wanting the lips to "kiss the sleep from my eyes," a phrase that conveys both intimacy and a desire to be awakened or revitalized by the loved one's touch.

Moving to the eyes, the speaker cherishes them as "nothing like, lovelier under the sun," suggesting their unique and irreplaceable beauty. There is a plea for these eyes to continue to see and recognize the speaker, to cry and express emotion, indicating a desire for emotional as well as visual connection: "so long as I feel their tears on your face, warm rain on a rose." This metaphor beautifully illustrates the life-affirming and nurturing effect of such tears.

The face of the loved one is another focal point of yearning, with the speaker desiring to memorize every feature, "the tilt of your nose," while they are asleep—another moment of peaceful intimacy. When awake, the speaker wishes to explore the senses further by touching "the soft buds of the lobes of your ears" with their tongue, an act that combines sensory exploration with deep affection.

The taking of the loved one’s breath, wishing for it to "comes and goes, forever," symbolizes the essential and sustaining nature of their presence, equated metaphorically with "the blush under your cheek." This ongoing presence, as gentle and subtle as a blush, is something the speaker resolves to accept, indicating a resignation to cherish whatever remnants of the loved one can be perceived or imagined.

The repetition of "I'll take" throughout the poem emphasizes the speaker's active desire to hold onto various aspects of the loved one, while the concluding word "Whatever" poignantly suggests a mixture of determination, resignation, and a willingness to accept any form of connection, no matter how intangible.

Overall, "Whatever" by Carol Ann Duffy captures the profound emotional depth of love and loss, using physical and sensory imagery to convey the enduring impact of a loved one's presence and the heartfelt longing to maintain a connection with them, even in their absence. The poem resonates with anyone who has experienced deep love and the fear of its dissolution, exploring how we attempt to hold onto those we cherish through memory and sensory remembrance.

Copyright (c) 2024 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...