“Is/Not” by Margaret Atwood (1974)

The poem “Is/Not” by Margaret Atwood was originally published in Atwood’s 1974 collection of poetry, You Are Happy, and describes love by what it is lacking, subverting the conventions within the genre of romantic poetry. One of the most prominent literary devices Atwood uses throughout “Is/Not” is juxtaposition, contrasting scientific language against emotional language in order to show that love defies logic. Atwood uses this technique across much of her poetry, “[you fit into me]” included, underscoring the poem’s broader themes by emphasizing contrast. “Is/Not” also parallels “[you fit into me]” in terms of its construction: Despite being longer than the latter, “Is/Not” is a 22-line poem that is separated into unrhymed couplets, or sets of two lines (see: Literary Devices). Each stanza is concise and impactful, a trademark of Atwood’s poetry.

“Habitation” by Margaret Atwood (1987)

Margaret Atwood’s poem “Habitation” appears in her collection Selected Works 1965-1975, published in 1987. “Habitation” explores the theme of marriage, asserting that romantic partnership takes a significant amount of work to maintain. Atwood compares marriage to something almost primitive, something that human beings are still consciously trying to understand. “Habitation” is a concise poem that packs a punch, examining romantic partnership from every angle in the same style as “[you fit into me].