Analysis Of The Poem Driving Glove By Claudia Emerson

In her poem, â€Å"Driving Glove,† Claudia Emerson narrates a despondent man’s discovery of his late wife’s glove, a symbol of her and their life together and pain he suffers by losing her. The man recounts the memories of his wife through his description of the glove and other sentimental documents found in the trunk of the car. After illustrating his memories of her, he lets the glove fall back into the trunk of the car. Although he lets go of it, he says he will never forget it. Emerson concludes her poem with most of the last stanza, â€Å"There was / nothing else to do but return it --- / let it drift, sink, slow as a leaf through water / to rest on the bottom where I have not forgotten it remains --- persistent in its loss† (10 – 14). These lines encompass the poem as they not only express the man’s passion for his wife, but also the feelings he has towards letting go. The last stanza of the poem illustrates the man’s understanding of moving on but also the fear that comes with letting go and his incomparable love for his wife, especially through the first line. As the man continues to mourn her loss, he realizes that there is no one else that can wear the glove anymore. Emerson writes, â€Å"There was / nothing else to do but return it ---â€Å" (10 -11). Although it is painful for him, the man knows that this glove is no longer useable in his life or a life shared with someone else. His undying love for his wife shows through his notion that no one else can wear it to replace