Postcard to his Wife - Abse

Postcard to his Wife is about the suffering Abse experienced when loosing his wife. From within the first stanza we get the quote 'dulcamara of memory is not enough'. This suggests that even the treatment for chest pains can not compliment for the heartbreak Abse feels for the loss of his wife, this suggests that Abse loved her greatly and he feels a great human being has been taken away from him. Abse also makes a comment about 'the Venus de Milo is only stone'. Stone is usual cold and hard and it puts it into a perspective of being cruel. Stone can also be broken but not recreated. This reinforces that Abse's loss is forever and there is no way of turning back.

In the second stanza we get the quote 'So come home. The bed's too big!'. There is desperation shown within his voice. This reinforces that mourning and death are major themes within this poem. Abse has become desperate but this just shows how desperate people become once they have lost a loved one, they develop a longing for their return. Throughout the whole of this stanza it seems as though Abse would do anything to get his wife back and it shows a longing for her return.

Within the third stanza it's almost like Abse begins to start dreaming. The quote 'just you, just me' suggests that he wants to be alone with his wife and he longs for this feeling again that he so greatly misses. We get the sense through this poem that Abse is not very good at dealing with grief. He also describes the 'roses and clematis' suggesting that he may of admired the beauty of his wife. This links to the poem Wild Oats by Larkin as Larkin also admires idealistic beauty within bosomy English rose, however the difference is that Abse's love is more affectionate as it is to do with his wife who has died. 'Wild business' may suggest a journey that Abse can not control, that death itself is an inevitable fate to everybody one day.

The fourth stanza still shows this dream world of which Abse is portraying. Abse realises that in reality he can't have his wife back but it's as if he wants to remain in this dream world of his. References to 'holy' and 'old ghosts' suggests a religious aspect to this poem. We also get the Latin reference to 'uxorious' meaning wife. This suggests that he greatly misses his wife and the fact it is written in Latin adds to the love that Abse feels towards his wife. The key themes portrayed in this poem are love, religion and loss.

This poem could also link to Talking in Bed about the idea of love enduring and the fact that Abse misses his wife as well.