Point of View

The poem is written in a first-person, present-tense point of view. The first-person present-tense point of view is the most commonly used point of view in poetry. It is popular because it allows poets to invite the reader directly in to the speaker’s experiences, imagining themselves as a part of the speaker’s mind.

The use of present tense is especially poignant in this poem. The poem is written after the beloved has departed. However, for the speaker, these emotions are not taking place in the past tense, but in the present – her feelings of grief, conflict, uncertainty, and despair are just as real to her now as they were when he first left. The poet’s choice to use present tense makes the poignancy and permanency of these emotions legible to the reader.

The poem also makes extensive use of the first person...