Smith, Stevie. "Do Take Muriel Out".

Summary

- the speaker urges an unknown addressee to take the lonely Muriel out

- Muriel seeks in vain her friends, all gone to far away places, and sadly returns home to pray

- the last stanza reveals the identity of the addressee as Death x but: assures Muriel will be happy with the outing even when taken out by Death

Analysis

- free verse, irregularly rhymed

- ballad-like: simple, repetitive, tragic

- detached point of view: does not wail Muriel's tragedy x simply contemplates facts

- themes of loneliness, ageing, and dying