How I Knew He Wasn’t Mine to Keep

Summary

The poem "How I Knew He Wasn’t Mine to Keep" reflects on the absence of a loved one during the pandemic, signifying the end of a relationship.

Abstract

The poem "How I Knew He Wasn’t Mine to Keep" is a poignant reflection on the realization that a romantic relationship has ended. The author describes the backdrop of a pandemic-stricken world, with empty streets, masked faces, and a pervasive sense of isolation. Despite the unfolding global crisis, the expected comfort of a partner's presence is conspicuously absent. The poem captures the silence and emptiness that resonate with the lack of communication and the missed opportunities for connection. As the world begins to heal and people start to reconnect, the author's hope for reconciliation fades with each passing season and each unfulfilled expectation of his return. The arrival of a vaccine brings a glimmer of hope, yet the personal void remains. The finality of the relationship's end is acknowledged with a phone call, accepting that he will never return to her.

Opinions

The author feels a profound sense of abandonment as the person they cared for does not seek them out during difficult times.
The pandemic serves as a metaphor for the dying relationship, with the world's state mirroring the emotional distance and desolation felt by the author.
The repeated phrase "and still he did not come" underscores the author's longing and the growing realization of being alone.
The poem suggests that the author held onto hope for the relationship's revival, even as signs of normalcy returned to the world.
The mention of "a pinprick / And a bandage" symbolizes a collective hope and recovery from the pandemic, juxtaposed with the author's personal loss and stagnation.
The final call signifies an acceptance of the relationship's irrevocable end, marking a moment of closure and the need to move forward.

A pandemic poem

This is how I knew He wasn’t mine to keep The world was ending And he did not come to me Miles stretched and the silence Of what he did not say Crackled on the line like static Empty storefronts faced empty streets And still he did not come Masked faces with anxious eyes Passed in hurried steps Doors shut inward, teddy bears Hunched hopefully on windowsills And still he did not come Packages arrived in tidy boxes While doors stayed tightly shut And still he did not come Spring blossoms withered in summer heat Leaves fell and a cold wind blew them In skittering circles down sidewalks Before they were whisked away Shuddering against closed doors And still he did not come When doors began opening When faces began to turn, tentatively, Toward new days and half-smiling faces Still, he did not come When help arrived with a pinprick And a bandage, and my mask Slid down at long last Still, he did not come Then the call came And I knew He would never come for me Again.

How I Knew He Wasn’t Mine to Keep

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