the sun and her flowers

The speaker records her extreme distress following the breakup of a romantic relationship. Her heart is broken, as the very first poem states: “my heart cracked inside my body” (13). The emotional pain is unmistakable and it is bluntly and simply expressed, without holding back: “every nerve in my body is pulsing for you” (from poem that begins with “where do we go from here my love” [49]). The theme of heartbreak is in keeping with the title of the first chapter, “Wilting,” in which most of the poems that carry this theme appear. Indeed, the imagery in the poem that begins with “i spent the entire night” (14) uses that very image; the final bouquet of flowers the man gave her are “now wilting in their vase” (15). So distressed is she that she breaks their heads off and eats them. It seems that the speaker had invested a lot in this relationship but it was not a happy one. She was dominated by a stronger partner who did not treat her as an equal and was abusive. After the breakup, she initially wanted the man back. Now, she feels she deserves something better (17).