The poem 'Breakfast is a creation of A.E. Houseman and translated by English by Regi Siriwardana. It is written in 1st and 2nd person point off view with a irregular structured stanzas. A household conflict between a husband and a wife is portrayed through this poem in a gloomy mood. The wife describes the disturbed actins depicted by the husband in a frustrated tone.
He poured coffee
into his cup
he put milk
in his cup of coffee
he put sugar
in his cup of coffee and milk
with his teaspoon
he stirred it
he drank the coffee and milk
and he put down the cup
without speaking to me.
First stanza describes a man engaging in preparing his milk coffee himself. Each and every line describes the steps he passed in making the milk coffee. The personal pronoun 'he' and the possessive pronoun 'him' implies a a feeling of solitude and a glimpse of a gloomy conflict. in reader's mind. The last line of the stanza' without speaking to me clarifies that conflict overflowed. Probably, ' me' may be referred to a woman and a wife and 'he' should be the husband. Even though husband does all the things himself, wife expects a chance for conversation. But, husband's ignoring manner implies that the conflict between them have strong roots which distract their relationship and harmony.
He lit
a cigarette
he made rings
with the smoke
he put the ashes
in the ash tray
without speaking to me
without looking at me.
Poet describes the scene of lighting a cigarette in the 2nd stanza. That implies his ignorance and self- defensive nature towards his wife. Making smoke rings also implies that he is thinking about something important other than solving the problem between them. "Ash' implies the finality of their relationship. As the cigarette , their love and affection has also been burning left ash only by an unexplained force. Second stanza also describes the faded hopes of a wife who is gazing at the sorrowful ending of her relationship with his husband.
He got up
he put
his hat on his head
he put on
his raincoat
because it was raining
and he went out.
Husband is getting ready to leave the house. The actions depicted throughout the stanza 'got up, put on his hat and raincoat' implies that he is getting ready to leave. But the condition of the outside is rainy and uncomfortable. Even under that condition, his unchangeable desire to leave home portrays the unavoidable necessity or the extant of their conflict have already built between husband and wife.
In the rain
without a word
without a look
And I, I put
my head in my hands
and wept.
Husband's leaving and wife's sudden expression of hidden grief can be noticed in the last stanza. ' Without a word, without a look' implies that their intimacy as a husband and a wife has become to a sorrowful end. Whatever the reason it seems that the husband had beaten by it so badly and never requires a connection between them. In contrast, wife expects an and for the conflict but is not able to do a considerable interference than looking at him. But at the end of the departure of the husband she bursts into tears and to banish her grief in solitude.