Woke up suddenly thinking I heard crying.
Rushed through the dark house.
Stopped, remembering. Stood looking
out at bright moonlight on concrete.

Analysis, meaning and summary of Jack Gilbert's poem Divorce

5 Comments

  1. Ricky Blue says:

    Regardless of his intention I responded emotionally because I was reminded of a confounding experience I had after one breakup in which I woke up crying.
    Furthermore I disapprove of the comment invoking Wallace Stevens. Good grief!

  2. Rick Penkwitz says:

    First of all what are you people smoking? The whole point is emptiness and not in a zen way–there is no Wallace ironical hedonism or lao tuz peace. Have you ever suffered trauma but been so hurt your equilibrium refused the present and insisted on shoving the tranquility of the past–minus what ever was the problem between them–into the future right over the bare intolerable facts? The crying, not hers or his but the moan of a broken heart. The dark and evidently cold empty house. The moon unbroken by any one onto the concrete–the hard facts, the big empty.

  3. john says:

    A nice way of just saying, “Things are what they are.” A better poet wrote, “Let be be finale of seem.”

  4. shikha says:

    Nothing is more beautiful than awakening to the truths of your own life, even if it happens with a jolt!!

  5. lesley mulcahey says:

    I loved the poem. How wonderful to suddenly awaken to the light of your life now. You are free to start with anythig. Nothing can hold you back. FREE

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