Analysis

• The title puns on the idea of the 'manhunt', meaning literally a hunt to capture a man, often a criminal. Here the wife's search is for the husband she knew so well but who seems lost to her, metaphorically, after his experiences at war.
• "intimate days" - Poem is written from the perspective of his wife who is trying to understand the mental and physical effects of war. The loving, sensual language throughout may reflect the intimacy of husband and wife, and keen devotion from the wife hoping to heal him.
• "trace", "explore", "handle and hold" - The verbs reflect the activities of the wife as she conducts her "search", suggesting careful treatment of her husband's injured body and mind. It may also imply that he is no longer familiar to her.
• "blown hinge of his lower jaw" - The use of the metaphor suggests that the jaw is physically and metaphorically broken. This may suggest that he is no longer open with her, perhaps unable to talk of his feelings and experiences.
• "damaged porcelain collar-bone" - The use of the metaphor ‘porcelain collar – bone’ implies that he fragile and delicate and that he needs to be handled with care. ‘Porcelain’ is often hard, but can also chip easily and is cold to the touch. Perhaps it is a reminder of the ‘frozen river which ran through his face.’
• "mind and attend" - The words ‘mind’ and ‘attend’ are related to medical attention, therefore suggesting that his wife is attempting to heal her husband.
• "fractured rubber of shoulder-blade" - The ‘fractured rudder’ suggests that he can’t ‘steer’ himself – she has to guide him.
• "parachute silk of his punctured lung" - ‘Parachutes are used within the military, however a broken parachute is useless. Perhaps this is a reflection of how the man feels about himself.
• "climb the rungs of his broken ribs" - Creates an image of a ladder and a closely observed detail of her hands exploring the altered body of her husband. The idea of the ladder is reflective of the effort involved in the wife's gradual search for answers and her gradual coming to terms with her husband’s state of mind.
• "of his grazed heart" - The man has a "grazed heart", perhaps literally from an injury caused by "the metal beneath his chest", but also metaphorically. He is unable to connect with his wife, unwilling to speak of his experiences, and so their loving relationship is affected.
• "foetus of metal beneath his chest" - The image of the metal bullet still inside him as a "foetus" suggests that, like having a baby, the couple's relationship will be forever changed by what he has gone through. It may also suggest that the ‘foetus’ feeds off him and takes his energy – perhaps reinforcing the idea that his injuries are life changing.
• "unexploded mine" - The metaphor of "a sweating, unexploded mine buried deep in his mind" implies that the source of the problem is not physical but mental, and threatens to cause problems at any time. Perhaps the wife is trying to diffuse him. The importance of the wife's care and delicacy is highlighted by her discovery of this problem, she has to tread carefully as to not trigger PTSD.
• "Then, and only then, did I come close" - The final line of the poem emphasises the impact that war has on relationships. This is made clear in the line "Then, and only then, did I come close". Her search is not fully successful, she only comes "close", and only after she realises that her husband's problems lie as much in memories of his experiences as they do in his physical scars.
• "Only then" - ‘Only then’ is repeated four times perhaps this suggest that it is a slow process to get him to open up.