Angry Love

 Hugo Williams' poem "Please come late” is a story about denial the narrator (man or woman) is trying to rationalize their feelings about waiting for a date that is already late. Half way through this poem there is a shift in the hopes of the narrator. In the beginning there is a sense that the date will be there soon, late for understandable reasons such as traffic or the cliché of being “fashionably late”. As the wait time progresses the mood changes. Early on there is a sense of playful waiting, eager to finally see this person who is probably on their way. As the wait time progresses the excitement fades, no longer would there be a happy reunion if this person did in fact show up. At first the narrator wants this person to come late, building up the moment, enjoying the tease. Now, waiting for longer than expected the narrator is upset and wanting to regain control. Evolving from “I want you to come late and surprise me because I miss you”, to realizing that they may not come at all, now “I didn’t even want to see you in the first place”. This feels safe because if they decided they did not want to see this person, there absence is not a disappointment. Even though the narrator has said they don’t care and they don’t want them to come at all, we know it’s a lie. This poem ends with a confession that no matter how late this person comes; they will have fallen in love with them anyway.

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Julie Sheehan’s “Hate Poem” is also a concession of love. Although the title is misleading, this is a story about unconditional decisive love. The narrator (whom I assume is a women) is annoyed at the fact that there can be a person on earth that makes her feel like this. Probably coming into the relationship assuming that she would never have feelings for someone as she does for this person. She is angry that someone can have this much power over her, not being able to control the feelings she has toward this lover, and most importantly being openly vulnerable with someone she has fallen in love with. This hate could stem from an absence of love in her past, being in disbelief that her emotions are real, or being angry because of previous failed relationships.  

“Please Come Late” and “Hate Poem” have a number of parallels and corresponding themes between them. Denial is the most obvious; both authors describe a situation where there is skepticism towards one’s own feelings. In addition both narrators are annoyed with their human nature because it subjects them to being vulnerable. The narrator in “Please Come Late” is in a vulnerable situation: being stood up on a date, this opens many doors for personal insecurity and fear of judgment. The narrator in “Hate Poem” has opened herself up to love and be loved, for many people is the most vulnerable they can be. Both of these poems depict a situation of love you cannot get away from, the kind of love that consumes your thoughts, the kind of love that makes you angry, and a vulnerability that you crave.


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