Romeo and Juliet this poem is not, but love is definitely in the air. Hand-holding, plans for the future, turning back for one last glance—yep, that sure sounds like love to us. "Remember" is definitely a poem spoken by one lover to another, and it's sort like a here's-what-I-want-you-to-do-if-I-die type thing. The speaker dearly loves the guy she addresses, so much so that, even though she wants him to remember her, she doesn't want him to suffer. This is why, at the end, she would rather he forget her, than remember her and be sad.
Questions About Love
- Is this poem a little dark for, you know, a love poem? Why or why not?
- Lots of sonnets are about unrequited love. Can you detect any trace of this traditional topic in "Remember"?
- Who loves who more in this poem? Can you tell for sure?
- How do you feel about the phrase "no more hold me by the hand"? Sure, it's loving, but is there any indication that the speaker wants to escape her lover?
Chew on This
Love really is a kind of possession (but not necessarily of the demonic kind). Look at all the hand holding and the speaker's inability to "turn" away, for example.
True love is about sacrifice more than anything (even cutsie nicknames). The speaker of "Remember" proves her love by saying she would rather her lover be happy than remember her.