Heart to Heart

“Heart to Heart” consists of two stanzas of free verse with no set meter or rhyme scheme. The lines are clipped and short, a structure suited to the content and tone of the poem: separation, coldness, and the speaker’s inability to access or understand their feelings. The lines range between one and five syllables and sometimes consist of a lone word. For example, Lines 7-9 are all one-word lines: “pain, / yearning, / regret” (Lines 7-9). These words come after the line, “so it can’t feel” (Line 6). Placing each of these words on its own line individually emphasizes each word, drawing the reader’s attention to their significance as well as their starkness.

Additionally, Dove uses internal and end slant rhymes to emphasize other poetic elements. For example, in the second stanza, “mute” (Line 17) slant-rhymes with “tattoo” (Line 20). In Line 23, “key” (Line 23) slant-rhymes with “sleeve” (Line 25). Finally, “too” (Line 32) also slant-rhymes with “mute” (Line 17) from earlier. These slant rhymes create a sense of cohesion throughout the stanza. More so, these rhymes do not occur until Line 17, where there is a shift in tone and the speaker uses the personal “I” (“I feel it inside” [Line 18]) and attempts to translate their heart’s language.