Life After Loss

The key message of “Love After Love” is that life continues even after cataclysmic loss. While the poem appears to be an exploration of romantic heartbreak, it can also be applied to experiences of bereavement, or even the end of a deep friendship. The poem suggests that loss can be devastating and debilitating, but it is not the end. The poem refers to the reader as a “stranger” to themselves (Line 9), suggesting that loss triggers a period of profound change. In many ways this change can be negative, such as when one descends into despair and self-sabotage following a breakup; however, it can also be positive, as one is pushed in a new direction and given an unexpected opportunity to recreate themselves into something new.

In the closing paragraphs, the speaker encourages the reader to shed old mementos — and, in doing so, shed old...