# Desire explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Langston Hughes.

## What happens

The poem 'Desire' reflects on the fleeting and destructive nature of desire, comparing it to a double death and the swift evaporation of a strange perfume in a naked room.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Loss

Desire is portrayed as a double death, emphasizing the loss and ephemeral nature of intimate connection.

### Death and Mortality

The poem directly compares desire to a double death, linking passion with mortality and finality.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown

The speaker reflects on the experience of desire with a partner.

## Key lines

> Desire to us / Was like a double death.

Our desire felt like dying twice over.

_The speaker equates desire with a profound, dual loss._

> Evaporation / Of an unknown strange perfume / Between us quickly / In a naked room.

Like a mysterious scent that vanishes fast in an empty room.

_Desire is described as something fleeting and intangible, disappearing as quickly as it came._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_15_se/chapters/desire
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_15_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_15_se/chapters