Mock Orange - VB

I chose the poem Mock Orange by Louise Gluck. It is a poem that consists of 24 lines throughout 5 short stanzas of varying length. Overall I feel the poem is about a bad relationship that both members are keeping alive because they are married.

The poem talks about the sex the couple has very negatively. First by saying how she hates men and sex and then going on talking about the end of the sex when her partner "and the cry that always escapes, the low, humiliating premise of union". By her sayiing this it is clear that she is disgusted by her partner and even the thought of having sexual relations with him. Also because she calls it the humiliating premise of union it is clear that she does not want to be married to him.

The end of the poem talks about the flowers outside their bedroom window. She says how can I restw ith that odor in the world talking aboutr the odor ofthe flowers tajht have drifted into the room. I thought that was talking about her desire to be in a place where the flowers and her husband are not there so she can rest and not lie next to a man that she cannot stand.