Oranges Love Quotes

The poem's first few lines present us with a situation that screams young love: a first date. The repetition of "oranges" from the title tells us that these bright, tasty little orbs probably have more significance in the poem than simple being a nutritious snack. The color and sweet, summery associations that go along with oranges seem to light up an otherwise cold and gloomy winter day.

The fact that the couple and the two oranges (in a sense, another couple) are introduced in close proximity invites us to make a connection between the fruit and the young sweethearts. He probably just brought an orange for each of them, as a thoughtful gesture, on their walk. But Soto has set us up to see the oranges as symbolic of love. (For more on what the oranges represent, check out the "Symbols, Imagery, Wordplay" section.)

Despite the fact that this poem is about an event easily connected thematically with love, Soto addresses the theme indirectly. He uses the speaker's descriptions and remembered observations to develop the theme in a more subtle way. Kind of sneaky, right?

In this case, he is connecting something associated with the girl, her home, with the happy warm feelings of being in love. That porch light that burns "night and day, in any weather" is like the speaker's undying love for the girl. No matter what, it's always there. The image of the orb-like porch light also recalls the image of those bright oranges (a symbol of love) from a few lines earlier. This connection between love and luminosity carries the theme throughout the poem. Bright idea, Gary.

The light just keeps on shining. It's in those brightly colored oranges. It's in that ever-burning porch light. And now love's luminosity is directly connected to the girl. It's in her face and in her eyes. It's as if, in the speaker's eyes, she's glowing—but not in a spooky, alien abduction kind of way.