1. If you were made of stone, your kiss a fossil sealed up in your lips, your eyes a sightless marble to my touch, your grey hands pooling raindrops for the birds, your long legs cold as rivers locked in ice, if you were stone, if you were made of stone, yes, yes. Creates a monologue effect, free flow of thoughts Cold emotionless image unable to physically or emotionally communicate with her Lifelessness/Lacks passion and physical connection that is present in ‘soft bite on my face’ ‘your kiss like pearls’ their love transcends physical intimacy she would accept her if it wasn’t present Suggests she would love her even if her love was unrequited, unresponsive ‘to her touch’ Anatomy used to show endlessness and extent of her love – if all parts of her body were unresponsive etc Contrasts previous imagery of the river ‘consoling and fondling’ ‘blessing of rain’ previously water imagery is very volatile/dynamic/approving of their relationship but is locked in ice which demonstrates their lack of harmony with nature here Appears to be correcting herself, she would not be stone she would be merely made of stone and C.A.D would be able to see her beauty and love underneath her appearance

2. If you were made of fire, your head a wild Medusa hissing flame, your tongue a red-hot poker in your throat, your heart a small coal glowing in your chest, your fingers burning pungent brands on flesh, if you were fire, if you were made of fire, yes, yes. Reference to Greek Mythology- a celibate priestess who was wooed by Poseidon, forgot her vows and married him. As a punishment, the Goddess turned each of her golden locks of hair into a snake and her eyes into fiery, blood-shot orbs and green skin. She would accept her as a villain who could turn her to stone-she would take the risk. Small connotes image of lack of ability to love, coal black destructive substance to the environment, a pollutant, a fuse for fire. Black is usually associated with darkness and evil, unknown- traits which she would accept in her lover. Temperamental image of a dragon. In chest- is concealed yet could be revealed.

3. If you were made of water, your voice a roaring, foaming waterfall, your arms a whirlpool spinning me around, your breast a deep, dark lake nursing the drowned, your mouth an ocean, waves torn from your breath, if you were water, if you were made of water, yes, yes. Visual image of her words being a waterfall suggests physically destructive and vicious words creating turmoil and wounds. Even through this her love will endure Water is uncontrollable, riotous and unruly. Nevertheless it is a fundamental force that exists without human control. She would love her despite the anarchic life it would lead to C.A.D would be the object of her lovers behavior, she would be controlled ‘spun’ yet would give into the power ‘Breast’ - heart? Suggests risk of unknown/danger in proceeding. Reference to ‘waist deep in a stream pulling me in’ she has previously used positive images of water/river/stream so is prepared to take the risk and go into the lake/her heart Repetition of ‘your’ highlights the concept that these things will only be shown by her lover, c.a.d’s love will not lessen/weaken or respond to the destruction that she is shown. Involuntary?

4. If you were made of air, your face empty and infinite as sky, your words a wind with litter for its nouns, your movements sudden gusts among the clouds, your body only breeze against my dress, if you were air, if you were made of air, yes, yes. Like fire and water, air is one of the classical elements, often seen as a universal power or pure substance. Metaphor- she would still love her, regardless of the emotional void that pervades her. Unresponsive face- romanticised by the image of the boundless sky. Unpredicatability of a gust of wind amonst the peace of the clouds- her lover could disturb the peace, reek havoc whenever she pleased, the answer would still be ‘yes, yes’. Teasing- contrast between ‘gust’ and a ‘breeze’. Anaphora- repetetive structure to echo the unchanging answer. Assimilation of lierary devices- used to reflect her certainty with a situation. Nouns- her lover speaking other names.

5. If you were made of air, if you were air, if you were made of water, if you were water, if you were made of fire, if you were fire, if you were made of stone, if you were stone, or if you were none of these, but really death, the answer is yes, yes. No matter how unsuitable the lover, the poet could never deny her love, even if it destroys her like “death”.