The vision that accompanied me on my drive was a girl, a lady actually. We had the same hair but she didn't look like me. She was in a camel coat and ankle boots. A dress under the coat was belted high on her waist. She carried various shopping bags from specialty stores and as she was walking, pausing at certain windows, her coat would fly back in the wind. Her boot heels tapped on the cobblestones. She had lovers and breakups, an analyst, a library, acquaintances she ran into on the street whose names she couldn't call to mind. She belonged to herself only. She had edges, boundaries, tastes, definition down to her eyelashes. And when she walked it was clear she knew where she was going. . Stephanie Danler
About This Quote

This is a poem about a girl, not obviously about anyone you know. It is the first poem I have ever read by this author. The main character is described as having “an analyst, a library, acquaintances she ran into on the street whose names she couldn't call to mind.” So this girl is clearly intelligent and well-read, but just doesn't have it all together. She has friends but they are not the best of friends.

This is important to her because “she had lovers and breakups, an analyst, a library, acquaintances she ran into on the street whose names she couldn't call to mind.” She seems to have no one who can help her with what she is going through at this moment in her life. This leads her to walk around aimlessly until finally ending up at the library. This girl may be lost but she also may be found.

The ending line of the poem suggests that she may be found by another who helps her remember who she really is.

Source: Sweetbitter

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