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Analysis of Close

Synopsis= This poem is based upon a relationship that has decayed over time, so much so that what is left is the shell of a marriage forged together through the commitments tied to their children and their family home.

 Key Quotations + Analysis
1.)  "Like a drawing, erased, coloured in"
  • Drawings are a form of art, conveying that the relationship may have once been beautiful and precious. 
  • Drawings are time consuming and require effort which imply that the couple put everything into this relationship but it still failed to be a success. "Erased" could show that they are aware of each others imperfections, yet instead of accepting them like an unconditional form of love should, he is erasing parts of her that he doesn't approve of. 
  • "Coloured in" portrays that the couple may be presenting a false front to the public eye. 
2.) "Pity of bells"
  • The word choice "bells" heavily alludes to marriage bells, which indicate celebration and joy, however in this case it is ironic as the conformation of their love (which was their wedding) brought the death of their feelings for each other. 
  • "Pity" could refer to a wider societal issue that Duffy is trying to portray being that the concept of marriage and weddings are majorly flawed.
3.)  "I hear a story"
  • Stories are often tales that exaggerate the truth, therefore this could imply that everything that her partner has said has been a lie, this is a form of emotional abuse that may have triggered the downfall of their relationship.
  • It could also have a pitiful connotation in that the speaker is wholly convinced that they are living in a fairy tale and that the "story" will have a happy ending.
4.) "Homeless"
  • Here this depicts that the speaker feels lost within this relationship and it has caused her to feel without a home, this is significant as she clearly has a family home yet due to the lack of love between her partner it is no longer a "home" but just a house with no meaning.
  • A home is a place where one should feel comfortable and protected however the speaker is "homeless" implying that it is now a place where she is not comfortable and this is because of the nature of her relationship. 
5.) "The ghosts of ourselves"
  • This further highlights the decaying of their relationship as it connotes that the speaker and her partner have become "ghosts" of themselves. This displays that the flaws in their love are irreversible and their mistakes constantly torment them through haunting. 
Links to other poems-
  • Disgrace= Both relationships appear decayed and beyond repair 

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