Heavily influenced by Ludwig Wittgenstein's philosophy, Gwen Harwood began her poetry career as an exercise in the power of the word. She possesses a mastery of both vocabulary and association. Rather than attempting the constant expression of emotion, she turns to the capturing of ideas. She describes scenes of her life in which she learned something profound, all connected by an undercurrent of obligation. Harwood demands herself to constantly remember her past griefs, joys, and revelations.
As a follower of Wittgenstein, Harwood writes in a naturally somber tone. Her poetry is filled with regret, longing, and a sense of restriction. The mother "In The Park," although presumably not Harwood herself, best characterizes her outlook on life. This woman reunites with an old friend by chance and, afterward, confesses to herself that she resents her children from taking from her. Their needs have been met, but the cost was higher than this woman had anticipated. Similarly, Harwood continuously writes about regret in hindsight of her decisions. Her creed "Remember me" from "Anniversary" speaks to a sense of obligation, of a magnitude similar to motherhood. She keeps the details of her life private, but Harwood takes no pains to conceal her propensity for melancholy.
Questions of mortality also litter Harwood's poems. "Triste, Triste" is a text which walks through the promise of Jesus' empty tomb -- a symbol of rebirth. The absence felt so dolorously in "Last Meeting" becomes hopeful in "Triste, Triste" because this absence here indicates a return. Whatever Harwood lacked in previous seasons, she remembers in this poem that her own self is the greatest companion because she has suffered alongside Harwood the entire time and will not forget.
