A central theme of “Eating Alone” is the connection between mindfulness and memory. The speaker of the poem is mindful in his attention to detail—he observes moments as they unfold slowly. In the first stanza, after he has pulled up the onions from the garden, the speaker pays particular attention to the ground. Due to seasonal changes, the ground is bare and the speaker describes it as “cold, brown and old” (Lines 2-3). He then notices the light coming through the trees, and his gaze continues to witness a cardinal take flight. The speaker allows himself to be an observer of the natural world, and his mindful movements reflect an air of quietness. When he washes the onions, he also takes a sip of water, noticing the coldness of the metal spigot.

This level of mindful engagement with the external world allows the speaker’s mind to access a beloved memory of his father. The environments are similar: a quiet stroll in the woods during a change of seasons. The speaker’s conscious attention to his surroundings activates his subconscious, which allows the memory to surface. He distinctly remembers the way his father’s knee bent as he picked up the rotten pear from the ground; this memory has a certain significance for the speaker because he can recall its vivid details.