Separation By W. S. Merwin b. 1927 Your absence has gone through me

1. Separation By W. S. Merwin b. 1927 Your absence has gone through me    Like thread through a needle. Everything I do is stitched with its color.

2. In the poem “Separation,” W.S. Merwin conveys how we cannot avoid emotions of longing after the absence of a loved one. He uses the image of a needle and thread to show that we cannot avoid missing those important people in our lives who are not present. He proposes that absence is like “thread through a needle./ Everything I do is stitched with its color.” While we may go on with our lives during the absence of someone who is important to us, that absence is pervasive. The longing for that person may be subtle and not prevent us from going about our business, but it is still present, like a thread of a distinct color. By using this simile, Merwin can communicate an emotion with images that one could not otherwise communicate with description.