It is common knowledge that most romantic relationships do not work out. Two brief poems that encapsulate the feelings associated with ending a relationship are "Housecleaning", by Nikki Giovanni, and "Finis", by Waring Cuney. Each poem successfully demonstrates the deep emotions felt by one of the members of a love affair that has ended. Often, ending this particular bond with a significant other is difficult to cope with. Although both poems deal with a similar type of love affair, they are strikingly different because they represent opposite attitudes toward the pain caused by the end of a romantic relationship.

At first glance, both poems look somewhat alike. Both have single word titles and are short, consisting of only twelve or fourteen lines. These two poems describe emotions experienced when a love interest is lost. However, that is where the similarity ends. In "Finis", the author depicts someone who...