It’s neither red
nor sweet.
It doesn’t melt
or turn over,
break or harden,
so it can’t feel
pain,
yearning,
regret.
It doesn’t have
a tip to spin on,
it isn’t even
shapely—
just a thick clutch
of muscle,
lopsided,
mute. Still,
I feel it inside
its cage sounding
a dull tattoo:
I want, I want—
but I can’t open it:
there’s no key.
I can’t wear it
on my sleeve,
or tell you from
the bottom of it
how I feel. Here,
it’s all yours, now—
but you’ll have
to take me,
too.
How does the phrase “I can't wear it on my sleeve” in lines 24-25, impact the meaning of the poem?
A) It emphasizes that people should not have a literal view of their heart.
B) It supports the speaker’s belief in keeping one’s feelings hidden from others.
C) It rejects the idea that everyone needs love in their lives to feel fulfilled.
D) It reveals the speaker’s envy of people who are more willing to falling in love.
