We Two by Hilda Doolittle (1919)
The poem explores the speaker's relationship with a woman who has been her lover. The speaker describes their love as intense and all-consuming, but also notes that it is marked by a sense of possessiveness and jealousy. The poem touches on themes of desire, intimacy, and the complexities of human relationships.
By Hilda Doolittle · First published 1919 · Genre: Poetry, Modernist, Romantic · 224 words
First lines
We two are left: / I with small grace reveal / distaste and bitterness; / you with small patience / take my hands; / though effortless, / you scald their weight / as a bowl, lined with embers, / wherein droop / great petals of white rose, / forced by the heat / too soon to break.
We two are left: / as a blank wall, the world, / earth and the men who talk, / saying their space of life / is good and gracious, / with eyes blank / as that blank surface / their ignorance mistakes / for final shelter / and a resting-place.
What this Textopian page supports
We Two is listed on Textopian as a poem by Hilda Doolittle, dated 1919 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Hilda Doolittle
- Date: 1919 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Modernist, Romantic, Psychological
- Length: 224 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for We Two by Hilda Doolittle
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Similar titles
- I Have No Life But This by Emily Dickinson
- Pity Me by Edna St Vincent Millay
- How Did I Bear It by Edna St Vincent Millay
- I Have Longed To Move Away by Dylan Thomas
- Epistle To Augusta by Lord Byron
- The Wife Speaks by Helen Hay Whitney
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form, utilizing poetic devices such as imagery, metaphor, and rhythm.
- Modernist — The themes of alienation and introspection, along with the experimental style, align with Modernist literature.
- Romantic — The focus on personal emotion and the natural imagery reflects elements of Romanticism.
- Psychological — The exploration of inner thoughts and emotions suggests a psychological dimension.
Tags
Autobiographical · Poetic · Memoir · Love Story · Romance · Marriage · Relationships · Intimacy · Emotional · Vulnerable · Honest · Reflective