The Writing Style of an Apology
“An Apology for Using the Word 'Heart' in Too Many Poems” is a poem whose theme circles around how the author, Hayden Carruth, attempts to persuade people to use the word heart with emotion behind it. The title is what captures the reader's attention to this poem. When first reading the word apology, people usually think of it as a regretful acknowledgment which is along the lines of saying, “I'm sorry.” But not this particular apology. Also, when reading the words “heart” or thinking of “love”, the first thought is usually a great feeling and happiness. The author uses his apology as more of a defense and explanation as to what he thinks of the heart. He also gives his viewpoint on how people use the ideal of love so freely. Carruth's writing style stands out the most throughout this poem. He opens and ends the poem with a question, refers to the hear as 'it' in the first stanza, and displays a strong uncertainty of the importance of the heart in the first stanza to dehumanize the value of the word “heart”.
In the poem, the author opens and closes the poem with a question. The first line of the poem says, “What does it mean? Lord knows; least of all I.”(Carruth 1). Carruth is asking the reader what does love mean and acknowledges that he is the last one to know. Being that all three of his marriages ended in divorce could be a reason that Carruth has this uncertainty of the heart, but he still continues on with the poem to give the reader his outlook on what he feels about it. How could the author give his perception about love if he does not know about it himself? This is what makes Carruth opening up the poem with a question interesting because he makes it known that he does not have all the answers and that everyone will interpret the “heart” differently. After opening with a question, he then precedes to give examples of how