The Dog
The dog is a symbol of love throughout the poem: unconditional and unwavering. Dogs are traditionally symbols of loyalty and vigilance, underscoring the overarching themes of partnership and love as a reciprocal exchange present in the piece. Dogs are typically associated with positive imagery and emotions: Dogs live and love with unabashed zeal; dogs do not hide their emotions; dogs do not lie; dogs are loyal. When Mali asks, “Who knows what love could do in its own defense?” (Line 9), he emphasizes that the love between two people is strong enough to inspire fierce protection of the other, compared to how a dog might loyally protect its owner.
The Leash
The “leash on love” (Line 6) is a symbol of control; however, the speaker is attempting to control something that is inherently uncontrollable. Leashes are meant to constrain, giving more power to whoever is holding them. Mali uses this symbol to show the impossibility of leashing love, characterizing it instead as a free and fluid concept.
New York City
The explicit mention of New York City in the second line of the poem symbolizes the speaker’s anxieties about falling in love. Love is initially characterized as a “big responsibility, / especially in a city like New York” (Lines 1-2).
