: While the poem is often seen as tragic, many readers find a bittersweet comfort in it. It acknowledges that even if a relationship ends, the impact of that person remains—a sentiment echoed in Taplin’s other popular thought: "Sunsets are proof that endings can be beautiful too". The Impact of Taplin’s Voice

Perhaps the most uncomfortable theme in Taplin’s work is his refusal to romanticize love as salvation. In popular culture, love is the answer. Find the right person, and the puzzle pieces of your life will click into place.

But the is that some people are meant to wake us up, not stay with us. They ignite a fire that changes our trajectory forever, even if they eventually become a memory. It asks us to hold two conflicting ideas: that a love can be eternal in its impact, yet temporary in its presence.