what is the poem the unbearable weight of staying is all about

This poem describes the shaky foundation of love between Shire and her unnamed lover. She seems to speak on how the love was too good to be true, leaving her to internalize the loss of something special she never had. Yet she realizes her worth in the end and declares her need for someone willing to stay.

Shire unfortunately witnessed a similar experience between her biological parents, which is highlighted in her poem "Backwards." Her father and mother fell out of love, which left Shire in a tough place. This poem encourages women to make room for a lover who knows how to stay.