Blog Post #1, Question #1, Kristyn Gumienny

Kristyn Gumienny
English 201

Analysis of Gabriel Spera's "My Ex-Husband"
★ "My Ex-Husband" can be read here!
     

     In the poem "My Ex-Husband," it is quite obvious that the woman still has feelings (both love and hate) for her ex-husband. From the first couple lines of the poem, the reader can assume that she is speaking to someone; a friend, or more likely a new love interest. In both cases she could be telling a story of their past...even calling herself a fool.

     Does the woman still love her ex-husband or not- it could easily be both. The way she speaks about him (along with the symbols) in some parts of the poem suggest that she might just be having a hard time moving on (the frame.) The possibility of the new love interest in her home might tell the reader that she's trying to forget about him. While out on her "date" with her friend or new lover she does not want to sit at any checkered tables, reason being she is probably trying to move on by going on this "date." And if this dinner at Chez Pierre works out the situation of "Since I haven't got a photograph of you" would be resolved and she would be on her way of moving on.

     The overall tone of the speaker seems to be passive, sarcastic, and disgusted. Passive in the sense that she went back and forth between remembering the good qualities in him, along with the bad. "He seems like any woman's perfect catch, what with his ruddy cheeks, the neat mustache, those close-set, piercing eyes, that titles grin," making herself feel somewhat lucky for her "catch." "But snapshot's don't show what's beneath the skin." It seems almost like she still has feelings for him as she begins reminiscing. Her husband was a tricky man, "well rehearsed" with his "passionate, earnest glance...reserving an intimately dim-lit place half-hidden in a corner nook." She never really blames him for anything, saying "It's all your fault!" but it seems more as if she's calling herself a fool for all that has happened. 

     Each time she beings talks about her husband, she has this sort of innocent tone, like nothing ever happened until she remembers the bad things about him. Her disgusted tone becomes more powerful toward the middle of the poem when she talks about his affairs. "How slobbishly he carried on affairs...who'd lower herself to put up with shit like that?" 

     There are several symbols in the poem which remind both the speaker and reader of the ex-husband. One being the frame, which instead of taking down she's decided to keep up. "Kind of a shame to waste it on him, but what could I do? (Since I haven't got a photograph of you.)" It's like she still wants to look at that photograph of her ex-husband and remember the past she had with him. She could have easily tucked the photo away from sight, yet she decides to keep it up. Another symbol could be the champagne flutes from Italy which Claus got in the settlement for her. It might be a warning from the woman to the unknown person that they had better watch out because if this were to happen to her again she would "make some calls, files some claims" until kisses stop altogether.