The poem is written in first-person perspective, and the poet primarily focuses on the elusiveness of love. According to the poet, she does not know when love became ambiguous. She says, 'I don’t know when love became elusive.' The poet takes the reader back to the memory line when she narrates the love between her parents and describes it as unconditional. To her dismay, she has never seen such love again. According to the poet:
“I don't know when love became elusive
what I know is that no one I know has it
my father's arms around my mother's neck
fruit too ripe to eat, a door halfway open."
The expression given by the poet does not only depict sight imagery to explain love but also touches on the feelings she has for her parent's love. She further says, 'I begin to resemble every bad memory,' reflecting on her misfortunes for failing to find someone who loves her unconditionally.
The rest of the poem focuses on the poet's loss she has put up within her journey of love. She hints that she had an unnamed lover who never cared for her as much as she did, and she wonders if the man ever loved her. The poet writes, ‘I ask, did you ever love me?' However, despite her misfortunes, the poet is optimistic that someone who loves her will come along to stay with her. Shire concludes, 'I let you leave; I need someone who knows how to stay.’
