Quotes from Sherrill Grace

Also characteristic is the spareness of the punctuation (except for parentheses), the controlled patterning of the lines and section breaks. Thematically, Atwood here explores many of the concerns that have continued to intrigue her: the traps of reality, myth, language, and the pernicious roles we play, the cage of the self, and above all, the nature of human perception.

Underlying this apparent impasse is the perception that the alteration of things will be destructive for both partners: the speaker is "transfixed/by your eyes cold blue thumbtacks". But she also knows that "there is no joy" in the game, and that she wants "the circle/ broken", regardless of the cost.