To be in love by Gwendolyn Brooks

About the poet Gwendolyn Brooks is an African-American poet. Born in Kansas on 7 June 1917 and educated in Chicago, United States of America. Published first volume of verse in 1945, called A Street in Bronzeville which focuses on the Black urban poor. Many of Brooks' works display a political element, especially from the 1960s and later, many reflect the civil rights activism of that period. Her 1949 book of poetry, Annie Allen, received a Pulitzer Prize, the first won by an African American. Died 3 December 2000.

TO BE IN LOVE by GWENDOLYN BROOKS 2. Is to touch things with a lighter hand. 3. In yourself you stretch, you are well. 4. You look at things 5. Through his eyes 6. A Cardinal is red. 7. A sky is blue. 8. Suddenly you know he knows too. 9. He is not there but 10. You know you are tasting together 11. The winter, or light spring weather.

12. His hand to take your hand is overmuch. 13. Too much to bear. 14. You cannot look in his eyes 15. Because your pulse must not say 16. What must not be said. 17. When he 18. shuts a door- Is not there- Your arms are water. 21. And you are free 22. With a ghastly freedom. 23. You are the beautiful half 24. Of a golden hurt.

25. You remember and covet his mouth, 26. To touch, to whisper on. 27. Oh when to declare 28. Is certian Death! 29. Oh when to apprize 30. Is to mesmerize 31. To see fall down, the Column of Gold, 32. Into the commonest ash.

Summary The poem is about being in love. It is about the feeling of love a couple has for each other BEFORE they have even declared their love. The poet tries to describe that in-love-feeling people have.

Themes Love Confusing abilities of love Regret Devastation

Structure Irregular form and rhyme. Emphasises the confusion of being in love.

Lines 1-2 To be in love Is to touch things with a lighter hand You are more relaxed, less serious, more gentle.

Line 3 In yourself you stretch, you are well. experience a general feeling of happiness METAPHOR = You don’t just focus on your own desires. You accommodate somebody else’s feelings and ideas. You become less selfish. You grow because you learn more about someone else.

Lines 4-5 You look at things Through his eyes. METAPHOR = The way you look at things in life changes. You begin to see things from the perspective of the one you love.

Line 6 A Cardinal is a bird in North America, colour same as robe of a Cardinal: red A Cardinal is red The poet gives you examples of what you can see. You know this bird is red but because you are in love the colours seem new to you. Cardinal in the Roman Catholic church

Line 7 A sky is blue The poet uses “a” instead of “the”. With the “a”, the poet seems to say that not all skies are blue. Through the eyes of one who is in love, the sky may appear more blue.

Line 8 Suddenly you know he knows too. The relationship is developing. The poet says that you will suddenly know that he knows that you are in love with him. A couple will know that they both are fond of each other.

Lines 9-11 He is not there but You know you are tasting together Figuratively you are experiencing things together. He is not there but You know you are tasting together The winter, or light spring weather You and he will experience winter and spring the same way. You will experience the same seasons although you are not together. This also means you will always think of him.

Lines 12-13 His hand to take your hand is overmuch Too much to bear. The emotional feelings created by the touch are too much to cope with.

Lines 14-16 You cannot look in his eyes Because your pulse must not say What must not be said You cannot say I love you, too early in a relationship. You cannot allow your physical response to his touch to betray your feelings to him.

Lines 17-20 When he Shuts a door – Is not there – Your arms are water. Refers to the partner leaving. He is not in the presence of the other person. When he Shuts a door – Is not there – Your arms are water. If you are not in the presence of the other person: your arms are water. METAPHOR = Your arms become like water. Useless, unable to do anything, weak.

Lines 21-22 And you are free With a ghastly freedom This freedom comes to you with a shock. You don’t want to be free like this. OXYMORON = contrast between ghastly and freedom. And you are free With a ghastly freedom horrifying, shocking, upsetting

Lines 23-24 You are the beautiful half Of a golden hurt You are still beautiful but you are only a half. When you were with your loved one you were two beautiful people that formed a whole. You are the beautiful half Of a golden hurt METAPHOR and OXYMORON = Love is compared with gold. Gold is one of the purest metals found. The hurt is called golden because you have been and could possibly be hurt in a love relationship. Being in love is as precious as gold.

Lines 25-26 You remember and covet his mouth, Being apart, you remember your physical closeness. You miss it. want to have something very much You remember and covet his mouth, To touch, to whisper on it Covet: It is also the word used for desire in the Ten Commandments, which could mean that you desire your loved one so much it edges on sin.

Lines 27-28 Oh when to declare Is certain Death! METAPHOR = The poet says to declare your love is certain death. Not literally the death of a person, but figuratively the death or end of the relationship.

Lines 29-30 Oh when to apprize Is to mesmerize You must inform the person you love at exactly the right moment or you could spoil the relationship. Oh when to apprize Is to mesmerize To fascinate someone or absorb all of his attention. When you inform a person that you love him you will get all the attention of that person. That person will be mesmerised by what you have said.

Lines 31-32 To see fall down, The Column of Gold, METAPHOR = the feeling of being in love. destroy To see fall down, The Column of Gold, Into the commonest ash. The moment you declare your love the relationship may become something common. The gold is turned into ash, common ash. It becomes nothing.