Even though we routinely quantify time—measuring out our lives in hours, minutes, and seconds (or, in the case of J. Alfred Prufrock, coffee spoons)—perceptions of time are highly subjective. The next release of Game of Thrones seems to take forever, whereas the day of your math midterm arrives way too soon. Memory, too, is pliable, shaped by our thoughts and emotions. One bad experience, for example, can loom large in memory, distorting your view of the past. The passage of time is an important theme in “Love After Love,” as the speaker invites you to take a walk down memory lane, encouraging you to greet your past self with gratitude and compassion rather than criticism or rejection.
Questions About Time
- What makes the speaker so confident in his predictions? Does he come from the future, or what?
- Do you buy the speaker’s predictions of what’s to come? Why or why not?
- What does this poem suggest about our relationship with the past? Is it something that we should embrace, or should we be looking ahead? What parts of the poem support your answer?
- How does this poem emphasize the importance of stepping out of time in order to take stock of our life?
Chew on This
The speaker is able to predict “your” future, because they speak from personal experience—and there’s no greater teacher.
The poem’s most important lesson is to be in the moment. Ignore the past; don’t sweat the future. Be here now in order to be happiest in life.