LITR 3731: Creative Writing 2006

Charity English

Questions for Rosa Ortiz's poem "Moving On"

1. Who is the poem directing questions to? To the audience, a fictitious old flame, a real person…?
   
2. It’s interesting that some words are in bold? Do those words have a more significant meaning to your reader?
   
3. From the beginning of the poem, it’s difficult to infer what the situation is. It seems that it’s a reunion between two former lovers. Would the poem be stronger if the reader was certain of the reason for the meeting?
   
4. Is there hope for this person? The poem says that he/she is nursing a broken heart, yet he/she is looking forward to another tomorrow…And can he/she be guilty of being happy if he/she is broken-hearted?
   
5. Why does the speaker in the poem no longer seem real to the other person?
   
6. What do you hope that the reader feels or experiences from this poem?
   
7. Is this a glimpse into someone’s regret over a lost love?