Roethke is lusting over his former student. He remembers the little things about her that people do not normally remember about someone. He wants her to be his. “I remember the neckcurls…” (Line 1) a normal person that sees someone like a teacher would not remember things like her neck curling if they were not desiring the person. He felt as though he was in love with her, when in actuality he was infatuated with her. “Over this damp grave I speak the words of my love” (line 22) he tells that he was in love with her, or was delusional in the thought of love. Either way, we know that he wanted Jane in a way he was not supposed to. He let his emotions get ahead of him instead of being wise and letting those feelings sink away. She lit up his
