Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Charles Olson’s "My Love Is Also / Like" is a brief yet provocative meditation on desire, memory, and the complexity of love. The poem’s stark language and layered imagery explore the intersections of romantic and nostalgic longing, evoking both the tenderness and the transgressive nature of intimacy.

The opening declaration, “My love is also,” immediately establishes a fluidity, suggesting that love is multifaceted, dynamic, and open to interpretation. The comparison to a sixteen-year-old introduces a sense of youthful energy and vitality, but it also hints at a tension between innocence and experience. The act of unbuttoning the blouse is intimate and personal, suggesting both vulnerability and a shared connection. Yet, the gesture is complicated by the mention of “her old piano teacher,” a figure who carries connotations of authority, mentorship, and perhaps even unspoken boundaries.

The comparison to the piano teacher shifts the poem into a reflective, almost melancholic register. The teacher’s presence suggests a relationship rooted in discipline, structure, and perhaps unfulfilled potential. By likening his love to this dynamic, Olson layers the act of unbuttoning with a sense of reverence, nostalgia, and a subtle questioning of the appropriateness or context of such acts of love or desire. The juxtaposition of the youthful image with the authority figure highlights the poem’s exploration of the power dynamics inherent in relationships, whether real or symbolic.

Olson’s sparse language and enjambment reflect his characteristic style, allowing the reader to pause and reflect on each phrase. The unadorned nature of the lines creates an immediacy, as if the speaker is confessing or grappling with these thoughts in real-time. The simplicity of the imagery—focused on the blouse, the piano, and the act of unbuttoning—belies the complexity of the emotions and relationships being examined.

Ultimately, "My Love Is Also / Like" probes the layered, often contradictory nature of love and desire. It captures the interplay of youth and age, innocence and authority, passion and reflection. Olson invites the reader into a moment that is both intimate and uncomfortable, prompting questions about the boundaries of love and the ways in which memory and metaphor shape our understanding of it. Through its brevity and emotional resonance, the poem encapsulates Olson’s ability to evoke deep introspection within a seemingly simple framework.

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