Memory
One of the poem's central themes is memory. Orpheus cannot let go of his memory of Eurydice, as he constantly replays the moment he lost her. The poem captures the anxious state in which he resides, as he dwells on his guilt over failing to save her from the underworld. The way his tone of voice conveys his anguish highlights how her memory has overwhelmed him, trapping him permanently in reliving this mistake. Memory is shown as having the potential to ensnare individuals in an inescapable repetition of their worst moments.
Circularity
One of the poem's other main themes is circularity. As indicated by the structure of the text, Orpheus is trapped in a kind of loop. He describes his memory of losing Eurydice forward and backward, so consumed by it that he feels it is inescapable. The poem works as a feedback loop, showing how Orpheus is caught in a tangle of regret and sadness. By making the story a circular one, Trethewey reveals how Orpheus cannot let go of the moment he lost Eurydice, forced to relive the moment he turned to face her and failed to rescue her.
Liminality
Liminality is another prominent theme in the poem. Orpheus depicts his state of consciousness in the poem as shifting between being asleep and awake. He reaches out for Eurydice but knows that she will not be there. In this hazy, dream-like state, he stays caught in the moment he turned to her. In both his real life and his dreams, Eurydice vanishes in some unidentifiable moment. He keeps attempting to understand where exactly he lost her. Trethewey uses these liminal moments between dreams and reality to show how Orpheus is trapped in the middle of two worlds, living and dead, overwhelmed with a longing for his lost love.
