# Lover's Return explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Langston Hughes.

## What happens

A deserted woman recounts the return of her old lover, who appears sick and lonely. Despite her initial sympathy, she recalls the mistreatment she endured and ultimately rejects him, driven by a devilish resolve.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Loss

The poem explores the pain of a lover's return after abandonment, highlighting the emotional toll and the eventual rejection.

### Resilience and Joy

The narrator's final resolve to reject her lover demonstrates a form of resilience, choosing self-preservation over vulnerability.

## Character check-ins

### Ma Jesus

The old time daddy who returns home sick and lonely.

### Unknown

The deserted woman who narrates the song, reflecting on her lover's return and her own hardened feelings.

## Key lines

> Ma old time daddy Came back home last night. His face was pale an’ His eyes didn’t look just right.

My former lover returned home last night, looking pale and unwell.

_The lover's return is marked by physical decline, setting the stage for the narrator's conflicted emotions._

> O, men treats women Just like a pair o’ shoes. I say treats women Like a pair o’ shoes⁠—, They kicks ’em round an’ Does ’em like they choose.

Men treat women like shoes, kicking them around and using them as they please.

_The narrator voices a bitter critique of male mistreatment, comparing women to disposable objects._

> But de devil told me Damn a lover Comes home to die!

But the devil told me to curse a lover who returns only to die.

_The narrator's inner demon urges her to reject her dying lover, emphasizing her hardened resolve._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_15_se/chapters/lover-s-return
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_15_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_15_se/chapters