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Nothings and Nevers: Love, Anti-Love, and the Poetry of Absence

Andrew Bell

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In the realm of poetry, love has long been a central theme, inspiring countless works that explore the myriad facets of this complex emotion. However, there is another side to love that is often overlooked: the void created by its absence.

Nothings and Nevers.: Love and Anti-Love Poetry

by Gary Walker

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	336 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
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Print length	:	6 pages

The poetry of nothings and nevers delves into this void, capturing the longing, desire, and loss that accompany the absence of love. These poems speak to those who have experienced the heartbreak of unrequited love, the pain of loss, or the emptiness that follows the end of a relationship.

One of the most famous examples of this type of poetry is Emily Dickinson's "Because I could not stop for Death."

Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me; The Carriage held but just Ourselves— And Immortality.

In this poem, Dickinson personifies Death as a gentleman caller who takes the speaker on a carriage ride into the afterlife. The poem is full of longing and regret, as the speaker reflects on the things she left unsaid and the people she will never see again.

Another example of the poetry of nothings and nevers is Elizabeth Bishop's "One Art."

The art of losing isn't hard to master; so many things seem filled with the intent to be lost that their loss is no disaster.

In this poem, Bishop explores the many ways in which we lose things, from the mundane (keys, gloves, umbrellas) to the profound (love, hope, dreams). The poem is both a meditation on loss and a celebration of the resilience of the human spirit.

The poetry of nothings and nevers is not always easy to read. It can be painful to confront the absence of love, but it can also be cathartic. These poems can help us to understand our own experiences of loss and to find a way to move forward.

Characteristics of the Poetry of Nothings and Nevers

Focus on absence: These poems explore the void created by the absence of love.
Themes of longing, desire, and loss: These poems capture the pain of unrequited love, the grief of loss, and the emptiness that follows the end of a relationship.
Use of negative imagery: These poems often use negative imagery to convey the sense of emptiness and loss.
Exploration of the human condition: These poems delve into the human experience of love and loss, and they can help us to understand our own experiences.

Poets Who Have Written About Nothings and Nevers

Emily Dickinson
Elizabeth Bishop
Sylvia Plath
Anne Sexton
Adrienne Rich
Louise Glück
Billy Collins
Gwendolyn Brooks
Langston Hughes
Pablo Neruda

The poetry of nothings and nevers is a powerful and moving exploration of the human experience of love and loss. These poems can help us to understand our own experiences and to find a way to move forward.

Nothings and Nevers.: Love and Anti-Love Poetry

by Gary Walker

5 out of 5