Could I Then Shut the Door

Could I Then Shut the Door - meaning Summary

Fear of Being Rejected

The poem presents a brief, intimate moment of the speaker weighing withdrawal against exposure. Confronted with the possibility that a female addressee might finally refuse her plea, the speaker wonders whether to close the door and spare herself the shame of visible supplication. The lines capture a tension between desire and dignity, fear of rejection, and the impulse to protect oneself by retreat. The poem’s spare language makes the emotional stakes immediate: a private crisis about love, pride, and the risk of being seen pleading.