Dunn, Stephen : Long Term

Literature Annotations

Genre	Poem
Keywords	Family Relationships, Loneliness, Love, Marital Discord, Ordinary Life, Suffering, Time
Summary	This poem is one of several by Stephen Dunn in which the dynamics of married life are examined. The speaker begins by saying that in marriage "anything that can happen between two people" eventually will, including things that cause incredible hurt and pain. The couple portrayed in the poem stays together through tacit agreement; whatever the hurtful event, neither refers to it. Instead, conversation centers on harmless subjects such as the garden, work, and little aches. While living together in the same house, the couple remains separate because forgiveness is not forthcoming for the spouse who trespassed.
Commentary	Here we have a domestic chill, one that is related with extraordinary understanding of relationships between men and women. See also After the Argument and He/She by Dunn, annotated in this database.
Source	Local Time
Publisher	William Morrow: Quill
Edition	1986
Place Published	New York
Alternate Source	New & Selected Poems 1974-1994
Alternate Publisher	W. W. Norton
Alternate Edition	1994
Place Published	New York
Annotated by	Nixon, Lois LaCivita
Date of Entry	04/29/94
Last Revised	12/17/96