you are a horse running alone
and he tries to tame you
compares you to an impossible highway
to a burning house
The opening of the poem introduces strong images in order to emphasize its ideas. The speaker describes the woman as "a horse running alone," stating that the man is attempting to "tame" her. This immediately gives a sense of the trouble brewing in the relationship, setting up the later discussion of the man's efforts to diminish the woman. It is also interesting to note that the picture of the horse running suggests beauty and freedom, while the images used by the man—an "impossible highway" and a "burning house"—are negative and critical. These images suggest danger and volatility, communicating that the man doesn't feel that he has the stability he wants from the relationship. By attributing this comparison to the man, the speaker makes it apparent that this description may not be accurate, even if it is vivid.
every woman before or after you
is doused in your name
This moment is an important turning point in the poem. After the man has made his various claims about how the woman makes him feel overwhelmed, the speaker then switches things around and says that every woman the man has dated "before or after" the woman has to reckon with her. She uses the phrase "doused in your name" to strongly signify the intensity with which the woman lingers even after she is gone. These lines add complexity to the portrait of the relationship, showing that there are powerful feelings present, even if they are not positive or ultimately healing.
but even when sleeping you could feel
him travelling away from you in his dreams
These lines come near the end of the poem and describe the futility of the woman's efforts to change herself. They show the way in which the woman intuitively knows that the man is slowly moving away from her. The lines convey sadness in that they imply the final conclusion of the relationship, while also being hopeful. By demonstrating that the woman cannot change the outcome of the relationship, the speaker seems to be saying that she should embrace all of her qualities and not be swayed by the opinion of someone who will leave regardless. While the demise of the relationship might hurt the woman, the poem ultimately views this rupture as a necessary stage on her journey to self-acceptance.
