Analysis

• 1 "after passionate nights and intimate days"


  • shows that everything was fine at first
  • however, it starts to gets worse after a while
  • suggests he tried to pretend that nothing was wrong
  • implies he was tired and couldn't pretend anymore
  • suggests he didn't want to worry her
  • additionally suggests the couple is slowly reconnecting
• 2 "only then would he let me trace the frozen river which ran through his face"


  • shows that he needed time to allow her to trace his scars
  • this implies he may view the scars as flaws and be insecure about them
  • shows she had to gain his trust
  • "frozen river" compares his scar to something that happens naturally
  • further showing that his scars aren't an abnormality but something beautiful, like nature
  • verb "trace" shows that the wife is caring and is helping him regain his strength
• 3 "damaged, porcelain collar bone" 


  • portrays the image of the soldiers damaged body
  • empathises how fragile he is
  • shows the physical effects of the war on person and further highlighting how brutal it is
  • as his body is compared to broken objects it suggests that the war dehumanises people
• 4 "feel the hurt of his grazed heart"


  • shows he had to have some time before letting her to touch him
  • suggests he had to build the courage to tell her how he actually feels, instead of hiding his true feelings
  • verb "grazed" shows that physically the bullet only missed by mm
  • however could also show the emotional scar that the war has left on his heart
• 5 " the foetus of metal beneath his chest where the bullet has come to rest"


  • noun "foetus" represents a baby which usually brings joy, happiness and a new beginning and life
  • however for them it has caused heartbreak, sadness and grief, as it is used as a metaphor
  • also shows that getting hurt was a life changing event just like having a child
  • further suggesting that they will never be able to go back to how it was before
• 6 "Then, and only then, did I come close"


  • shows that the wife din't give up on him
  • contrasts to the wedding vows "in sickness and in health"
  • phrase "only then" shows soldiers recovery had taken a lot of time and patience
  • suggests he has finally let her in and revealed to her how he truly feels
  • suggests he has finally accepted having PTSD, as at the start of the poem he tried to ignore it