Link to "Until We Could":
www.documentcloud.org/documents/1303166-until-we-could-by-richard-blaco.html Link to Dramatic Reading Video: eile.ie/2014/09/22/freedom-to-marry-until-we-could-richard-blanco/ The poem “Until We Could” by Richard Blanco is a poem that celebrates love and the freedom to marry for same-sex couples. Blanco has always supported diversity and the heart of human experiences, and this poem emphasizes a lovely community that has come so far. The first stanza is about two people falling in love for the first time. The poem is specifically genderless, so it would show how love is a raw and natural connection that could affect anyone, no matter what gender combination. The line “the last two in the world left capable of love” symbolize that this moment is sacred. They feel like they are the only people left in the world, and that it wouldn't matter if everyone else was gone, as long as they are together. The line “two mirrors face-to-face with no end” shows that this person has found their soulmate, who has similar interests and ideas, but still has differences that keep life interesting. However, the speaker ends the stanza by saying, “but we couldn’t…” because same-sex couples were not allowed to legally marry in the United States. The second stanza is about the first night they spent together, and how they appreciate their existence. The speaker praised the one he/she loves “like a majestic creature”, and the speaker wants to keep them close and protect them. I think it is a really sweet gesture. Then the speaker end the stanzas again with “Yes I knew, but still we couldn’t…”, using that repetition to really tie in the fact that this love was not allowed. The third stanza is about the couple spending time together, learning different things from each other. One teaches the other how to “dance Salsa” and speak their language, while the other teaches him/her to “how to catch a snowflake” and “love the grey clouds”. This shows the diversity that Blanco likes to write about. Being able to mix cultures and teach each other different traditions can really be fun experience for friendships and relationships, because their differences liven the relationship even more. They also explore, climb mountains, and watch sunsets, but what is really important, is that they are together. The speakers ends again with “I knew me as much as us, and yet we couldn’t....”. At this point in the relationship, the speaker absolutely knows that this person is their life partner. They wish that they could get married to forge this bond between them even more than it already is, but they couldn't… The fourth stanzas is about the hardships of the relationship, and the loyalty that comes with it. Love is complicated for most couples, with periods of “silence” and “door slam(s)” and having to say “you're right” sometimes even though it's hard. As in any relationship worth having, it teaches patience and how to “hold on by letting us go”, meaning that when an argument occurs, it is best to give each other space, then come back together to forgive. Again, the speaker ends by saying “Though we knew, we couldn’t—no one could”. Still, no same-sex couples in the United States could marry, even though their love was as true as any heterosexual couple. The fifth stanza is where the poem shifts. The speaker talks about gay pride parades and how they turned to rallies fighting for their right to marry their loved ones. They fought and fought for years, then finally “noes and maybes turned into yeses” and the bill was ratified “city by city, state by state, understanding us”. The government finally understood that their love was real, and needed to be known. Instead of ending this stanza with “but we couldn't”, the speaker ends with saying “the gravel struck into law what we always knew: Love is the right to say: I do and I do and I do…”, marking the day the government finally let same-sex couples get married. So now... they could. The sixth stanzas is about the reasons why same-sex couples are fighting for marriage rights. Some people may say marriage doesn't matter, as long as you have each other, but no. Marriage means so much more. It is a physical and mental bond. They want to live together and be recognized by the government as a whole. The speaker says “there’s no more you, me—our names useless”. This indicates that they were not under the same last name, because they weren't married. That made them legally separated on federal documents, with their names useless to each other. But now they can finally go under one name! This poem also suggests that the reason same-sex couples want to be married, is so that they can see each other in the hospital as family members. The speaker says, “I do want you to be the last face I see—your breath my last breath”. If one of them is dying in a hospital and they aren't married, then their significant other may not be able to see them, and that would be torture to anyone in love. The seventh stanza is about love in general. It is a natural connection that is just as understood as other acts of nature. We know that love exists, and we can try to figure out how it works, but we don't quite understand why it exists. The speaker compares it to things that we know, but don't quite understand, like stars in the sky and the wind that pushes a sail. I think this is my favorite poem by Richard Blanco. It is easy to understand, and it carries a great message. I like how he used repetition in between stanzas to unite the detailed descriptions of love. It would be really hard to argue against Blanco’s poem, because what he says makes a lot of sense. He has a partner named Mark Neveu, and from what I have found on the internet, I do not think they are married yet, but there is very little information about it. He understands the struggle that same-sex couples go through, and I think it is great that he made such a beautiful poem to represent the community. I highly recommend watching the video I linked above. It is a well-made dramatic reading of the poem, and listening to it with the emotional effect from the readers really drives it home.
7 Comments
Heyyyyy Jessica!
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Jessica
4/12/2016 06:02:18 pm
Thanks Kelly! I think this is my favorite poem by him so far :)
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Caroline Vincent
5/12/2016 09:15:21 am
This is a really good analysis of the poem. I really like how you structured your analysis of the poem by stanzas, it made it very easy to follow. You also did a very good job integrating quotes smoothly into your analysis.
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Niki Vemulapalli
5/12/2016 11:31:40 am
I really like how you thoughtfully analyze specific stanzas throughout the poem, it really helps me understand the different layers of meaning. It reflects on both the happy moments and difficulties they face. It was also cool how you drew connections between this poem and the poet’s own life.
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Jacob
5/12/2016 11:51:49 am
I enjoyed your analysis of the poem. The way you structured the analysis by going stanza by stanza helped me understand each section of the poem. Your integration of a variety of quotes was integrated skillfully in your analysis. Keep up the good work.
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Kelsey P
5/12/2016 02:46:01 pm
I loved reading this analysis because I think it is practically spot on! I think the way this poem is written is very interesting, because it captures that lovestruck message without assigning genders to any role, emphasizing the importance of the love itself rather than the people involved. Then by discussing the love and then later the rallies, it encourages the reader to actually root for the couple! It was a really good analysis to read! Thank you!
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Mallory
9/12/2016 10:41:50 am
I really could tell that you truly enjoyed this poem! You had so much meaning through out your whole analysis. Great Job!
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