Cold

Physical cold symbolizes emotional coldness. There are several references to physical cold in the poem, including to "frozen lips" and to a glacier (1). These references can be seen as symbolizing a lack of passion and feeling.

The Bus

The bus represents everyday life. The speaker uses the symbol of a poster on the bus that, presumably advertising some kind of medication, said that someone's "bleeding is under control" (10). For the speaker, whose emotional bleeding continues to feel out of control, the bus symbolizes a quotidian world that cannot match the intensity and relentlessness of her own feelings.

The Red Plant

The red plant symbolizes strong emotion. Red is a color traditionally associated with passion and love. A plant is a living thing. The red plant thus symbolizes the life force of strong feeling.

Plastic Wreaths

Plastic wreaths symbolize false, performative displays of emotion. The speaker uses...