The Love Poem: Plot

“The Love Poem: Plot” Overview

The Opening Lines and Introduction

• The poem opens with the speaker, presumably Duffy herself, announcing her intention to write a love poem.
• This is immediately followed by a reference to the Greek goddess Aphrodite, known as Venus in Roman mythology, who epitomises romantic and erotic love.
• This sets the stage for an exploration of love in a poetic format.

The Body of the Poem

• The first three stanzas delineate the speaker’s perception of love, portrayed in eloquent and vivid metaphors.
• By referring to words as “dancers” that create “ballet on the floor”, Duffy underlines the sheer beauty and elegance she associates with love.
• The repetition of the phrase “Pierced by their loveliness” intensifies the sense that love is overwhelming and even painful.

Depiction of the Beloved

• The fourth and fifth stanzas elaborate on the characteristics of Duffy’s beloved.
• The poet conveys love as powerful and infectious, capable of sparking gaiety and vivacity; the speaker says she sees the beloved “in everything, vivacious, beautiful” indicating a consuming passion.
• The line “I taste you in the sweet grapes” uses sensory imagery to accentuate the intimate, close connection.

Ending and Resolution

• The final stanzas see the speaker concluding her love poem in a beautifully intense testament to her affection.
• Duffy’s line that “love is a fire” encapsulates her depiction of love as a potent, transforming energy.
• The phrase, “Love is you”, at the close of the poem explicitly declares the beloved as the embodiment of love itself.
• The ‘Love Poem’ is signed with the initial ‘A’, thought to stand for Ann, the middle name of Duffy, reinforcing the personal nature of the sentiments expressed within the piece.

In summary, ‘The Love Poem’ is a heartfelt exploration of love, full of personal sentiment and beautiful metaphors, underlining the concept of love as a powerful, all-consuming force.