The poem “Lonely Hearts” by Wendy Cope is a villanelle, which is a poetic form that lends itself to expounding on the theme of the poem. It’s used for high emotional context. The poem “Lonely Hearts” gives the impression of a lonely someone vainly in search of love. This person keeps repeating his or her needs, resonating it, like creating that haunting melody that keeps on the listeners ears, that sits on the mind, especially when the poem ends with the two repeating lines, “Can someone make my simple wish come true.|| Do you live in North London? Is it you?” It is actually saying before you go; please don’t forget my simple wish. But in finding love, this person is very selective or maybe very limiting in the scope of looking, just North London. This creates the impression of a very selective person which may be the cause of the desperation created unknowingly. The request appears to be simple, but it creates an impression of desperation with the repeating tone. At the same time, giving a selected area and an address too, the poem tends to give an air of stability, of hope, in that there is a fixed place of looking, it is like saying, this is where I belong, also with the address added in. So all hopes in life is not lost, there is a place of reference, of belonging, for finding love is also satisfying that need of belonging.
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Introduction to Poetry:
Envisioning Poetry
ENG 2003, section 1248
Prof Jody R. Rosen
Spring 2012
W 6:00-8:30
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I agree with you totally, what I came out with this poem is that it’s a three line stanzas and it has brief statements. This poem is set up in such away that it resembles a newspaper add from the “personal section”. It describes the outcasts of society, the male biker, gay vegetarian, bi sexual women, Jewish lady who long for love just as the “accepted” member of society do. Each stanza gives me a short description of who the person is and what they are looking for when it comes to love. Obviously, these people are lonely and let lonesome feelings compel them to look for love. The stanzas are filled with desperation as at the end with a question “Do you live in North London”. The tone is not cheerful or dark, but more desperate. The rhyme scheme is very noticeable when first reading the poem and it also gives it a musical effect.
I agree with both of you.The poem has a catchy musical rhythm in contrast to its tone,which gives me the impression that those advertising for love are not looking for it long term. However they all do seem desperate and lonely but at the same time they know exaclty what they are looking for. It is also clear that they are from all walks of life in London.
This poem I think is the first villanelle that I have ever attempted to analyze, if not the first I’ve read altogether. And I think the idea Wendy Cope tries to render onto the readers is delivered perfectly due to this specific choice. Yes, the subject itself is very emotional and this theme of loneliness is really emphasized throughout due to its repetition, but what I get out of this poem really, is Wendy telling everyone out there who has ever experienced loneliness or does and feels isolated, or rejected, they are not alone. All of us are the same, and we all have our limitations and desires, but at the core we are not alone, we are all connected by that isolation and longing.
I’m not sure if I’m getting my point across, but related to the comment Moriama made, “this person is very selective or maybe very limiting in the scope of looking,” my point is we are all selective, I’m sure anyone of those individuals would love to have any companionship regardless of where it comes from, but we all have our preferences and its perfectly normal to look for them.
To summarize this poem, no matter who you are, or where you’re from, you are never truly alone or at least not unique in feeling so. It’s a part of life that unfortuneately most of us have to deal with.
I feel the speakers in this poem are being picky, as we tend to do, and dont realize what could be. An executive is looking for a young bisexual woman and a librarian a slim 21- non smoker, all in North London – with a photo. They reiterate their “simple” wish but their preferences are many. Perhaps they are lonely because they are too focused on finding a slim non smoker in North London who must be under 21 or a fellow gay vegetarian who likes Shakespeare.