Love Poem

The work “love poem” is a wonderfully short poem by Linda Pastan that focuses on how brief a relationship can be, and that one should appreciate every moment while they’re living it. The relationship described is one that is overwhelming, but with a strong connection between the two lovers that are in it. The lovers have many obstacles to overcome, and do, but eventually the relationship comes to an end. Pastan uses language and formatting, as well as symbols, characterization, and imagery to describe this short and sweet relationship, comparing this love to a creek. First of all, “love poem” uses language and formatting to emphasize that this relationship is seemingly endless, but nonetheless, short. According to Clausson, “Poetry is a field

Throughout the poem, Pastan compares this love to a creek. She starts off with the simile, “to write/… a love poem as headlong/ as our creek/ after thaw” (1-4) This creek she described, went through a brutal winter, and froze at some point, but it eventually thawed out. Winter is usually a time associated with death, full of despair and hope. Assuming this creek thawed out in the spring, it seems warmth was found, and the creek was reborn in a sense, and able to flow, rather than remain still. This can reflect a relationship, where there are many ups and downs, but similarly to the seasons, it’s a seemingly endless cycle. The frozen lake in the winter symbolizes the larger struggles in a relationship, including the occasional communication, financial, and sexual issues, but the spring symbolizes the chance for it all to get better. Spring is the coming of warmth and love, and that is eventually found in a relationship, even if there are hardships. However, even though the seasons continue forever, a creek cannot. No matter how endless a creek may seem, it continues only into the nearest stream bank; all creeks eventually end. Same applies to relationships; they all eventually end whether it is due to a breakup, or death does them

Some more minor problems in this relationship can be “every twig/ every dry leaf and branch/ in its path” (8-10). These are representative of outside forces that try to interfere with a relationship. There is occasional gossip, and judgement from time to time, coming from others that aren’t even a part of this relationship. However, they still manage to “step back/… [and] grab each other” (18-19), in an attempt to stay together, no matter how hard it gets. However, like a creek, it always ends. Also, Pastan mentions the two lovers have their “shoes soaked” (22). Whether or not it was intentional, Pastan used this phrase to mirror the phrase “getting your feet wet,” which typically means trying new things. Relationships for the most part are experimental, from to revealing more personality, to even starting the relationship in the first place. A relationship requires the lovers to let their guards down, and try things they wouldn’t typically do with others. Overall, Linda Pastan’s poem “love poem” is a short poem that concentrates on how short-term a relationship can be. Despite how short lived it is, however, the lovers should welcome every moment. This relationship is overwhelming, and full of many struggles, but with the lovers’ strong connection, it seems to last a while. Even though these lovers try to stay together, like