The Language by Robert Creeley

Throughout this piece, the poet uses a wide variety of literary devices to describe their perspective on love and its shared. Readers are likely to walk away from it, feeling a variety of different ways. Some might find themselves soothed by Creeley’s descriptions of love, while others might be bothered by the way he goes about it in ‘The Language.’

Summary

‘The Language’ by Robert Creeley is a fairly simple poem in which the speaker discusses love and the way it’s shared.

Throughout the poem, the speaker makes use of images to convey facts about life and love. They understand that throughout time, people have been using “I love you” to fill in the blanks between their physical understanding of another person and the way they are unable to translate that into words. 

You can read the full poem here.

Detailed Analysis

Lines 1-12 

Locate I

love you some-

where in

(…)

much so   

little. Words   

say everything.

In the first lines of ‘The Language,’ the speaker begins by directing their words to “you,” someone they have an exciting connection with. It’s unclear who exactly the speaker or listener is or what relationship they have with one another. The speaker asks “you” to locate the “I love you somewhere in teeth and eyes.” The use of enjambment in these lines makes the sentences hard to read. It may take more than one reading to figure out what exactly the speaker is trying to say. 

“You,” they add, want “so much so little.” There is a complexity here that isn’t clear either. The speaker is considering love and the way one handles it. There is some roughness, but one can’t lose control and cause “hurt.” 

Lines 13-24 

I

love you

again,

then what   

(…)

of holes   

aching. Speech   

is a mouth.

In the second half of the poem, the phrase “I love you” is used again. They use the final lines to describe how “words” are full of holes. This suggests that no matter what one says, like “I love you,” there are holes and lost meanings. “Speech,” they conclude, is a “mouth.” This is an unusual metaphor, one that can be interpreted in different ways. For example, one might consider the way that “speech,” as individual phrases like “I love you” leaves some information unspoken. 

Structure and Form

‘The Language’ by Robert Creeley is a twenty-four-line poem divided into sets of three lines, known as tercets. The poem is written in free verse; this means that it does not follow a specific rhyme scheme or metrical pattern. For example, the endings of the first three lines are “I,” “some-“ and “in.” 

Literary Devices 

Throughout this poem, the speaker makes use of several literary devices. These include but are not limited to: 

• Enjambment: occurs when the poet cuts off a line before its natural stopping point. For example, the transition between lines three and four
• Alliteration: can be seen when the poet repeats the same consonant sound at the bingeing of multiple words. For example, “Locate” and “love” in the first two lines and “fill, fill” in line nineteen.
• Caesura: occurs when the poet inserts a pause into the middle of a line of verse. For example, “little. Words” and “aching. Speech.”

FAQs 

Similar Poetry 

Readers who enjoyed ‘The Language’ should also consider reading some other related poems. For example: 

• ‘Love Poem’ by Elizabeth Jennings – expresses feelings of love and its complexities. 
• ‘Love Is Not a Word’ by Riyas Qurana – a poem that personifies love and dives into the notion of love and what is needed to maintain it in relationships.
• ‘Love After Love’ by Derek Walcott – gives advice to someone who is getting out of a bad relationship.