Aubade
I know my leaving in the breakfast table mess.
Bowl spills into bowl: milk and bran, bread crust
crumbled. You push me back into bed.More “honey” and “baby.”
Breath you tell my ear circles inside me,
curls a damp wind and runs the circuit
of my limbs. I interrogate the air,smell Murphy’s Oil Soap, dog kibble.
No rose. No patchouli swelter. And your mouth—
sesame, olive. The nudge of your tongue
behind my top teeth.To entirely finish is water entering water.
Which is the cup I take away?More turning me. Less your arms reaching
around my back. You ask my ear
where I have been and my body answers,
all over kingdom come.
Summary of the Poem
The poem “Aubade” is a quiet, intimate morning scene in which two lovers linger after a night together. The speaker describes the messy breakfast table that she would normally leave, but her partner gently pulls her back into bed. Through sensory details—taste, smell, touch—the poem captures the lingering warmth of their shared intimacy as dawn approaches.
Interpretation and Central Message
The central theme is the tenderness of love that persists even when the day begins. The speaker’s reluctance to leave the bedroom reflects a desire to stay in the comfort of the lover’s presence. By describing ordinary objects (milk, bran, bread) alongside sensual sensations (breath, taste), the poem shows how everyday life intertwines with deep affection.
Each stanza builds on this idea:
- First stanza: The speaker observes the breakfast table and feels a pull back to bed. This sets the scene of domestic routine interrupted by love.
- Second stanza: The lover’s breath is described as a “damp wind” that circulates through her body, symbolizing how affection permeates every part of her being.
- Third stanza: Sensory comparison—her lover’s breath smells like oil soap and dog kibble rather than rose or patchouli—creates an authentic, unidealized intimacy.
- Fourth stanza: The climax is the mingling of bodily fluids (“water entering water”), representing the consummation of their love.
- Fifth stanza: The lover’s whispered question and her body’s response suggest a spiritual connection that extends beyond physical closeness.
Literary Devices Used
The poem employs several devices to deepen its emotional resonance:
- Imagery: Vivid descriptions of food, breath, and touch create a sensory world that readers can feel.
- Metaphor: The “damp wind” and the “circuit of my limbs” compare love to natural forces, showing its pervasive influence.
- Contrast: Comparing the lover’s scent with ordinary smells (oil soap, dog kibble) versus exotic scents (rose, patchouli) emphasizes authenticity over idealization.
- Enjambment: Lines flow into one another without punctuation, mirroring the continuous nature of affection.
- Alliteration: The repeated “b” sound in “Bowl: milk and bran, bread crust” adds musicality to the opening line.
- Free Verse: The lack of strict meter or rhyme allows the poem to follow natural speech patterns, reflecting spontaneous intimacy.
Structural Analysis
The poem consists of five stanzas with varying numbers of lines: three, four, four, two, and four. This irregular structure mirrors the unpredictability of morning life and the ebbing rhythm of love.
Because the poem is free verse, it does not rely on a regular meter or rhyme scheme. Instead, its flow relies on enjambment and subtle rhythmic patterns that arise from the natural cadence of spoken language.
Guidance for Using Quotes
When sharing lines with someone special, consider how each excerpt highlights sensory intimacy:
“smell Murphy’s Oil Soap, dog kibble. No rose. No patchouli swelter. And your mouth— sesame, olive. The nudge of your tongue behind my top teeth.”
“You ask my ear where I have been and my body answers, all over kingdom come.”
These passages can be used to express affection in a way that feels both personal and evocative.