Watching (Motif)
The motif of watching and observation occurs throughout the poem. The speaker repeatedly describes the way in which Hope is always watching her, but characterizes it as "false." What she means by this is that this watching is of no help to her. She frequently feels as though Hope is just looking at her coldly, never acknowledging her or returning her gaze. When the speaker tries to engage with Hope, "she" turns away from her. These interactions demonstrate the "falseness" of this watching, as it is one-sided and unhelpful to the speaker.
Relics (Symbol)
The speaker describes the loss of her joys in the penultimate stanza, depicting them as objects scattered about the floor. She goes on to say that they have become "sad relics." Here the speaker uses the symbol of a relic, an object from another time, as a means of communicating the loss of meaning in these joys. They have become "relics" because they are just remnants of a time when she was able to experience happiness. These relics symbolize the loss of her former elation and her movement towards despair.
