One Flesh || Poem || Elizabeth Jennings

One Flesh - Poem by Elizabeth Jennings This poem depicts a couple in their later years, lying separately in bed, emotionally distant. The male figure reads a book, while the female figure recalls her childhood. The poem suggests that they have lost their passion and physical intimacy, and are now merely coexisting. This detachment is symbolized by the chastity they now face, which is ironically the result of their former passion.