In “A Visitor”, Mary Oliver describes a distant interaction between the speaker and her father. She uses wary and reflective diction in addition to unappealing abstract visual and auditory imagery to convey the idea that the relationship between the speaker and her father is far too broken to be mended.

                The poet uses wary diction and unpleasant auditory imagery to demonstrate the speaker’s relationship with her father as severed and unwelcome. The speaker characterizes the atmosphere as the “darkest of nights”, which connotes an eerie feeling, serving to emphasize the unnaturalness of the situation. She states that her father “knocks wildly at the door”, which connotes that he is an uncontrolled person and lacks self-control. The speaker then mentions that upon opening the door she will have to see her father’s “waxy face”, and “lower lip swollen with bitterness.” The poet uses abstract and slightly disturbing visual imagery here to describe the father as harsh, uncanny, and someone uncomfortably familiar to the speaker. The word “bitterness”, which the speaker characterizes her father’s swollen lip with, connotes resentment because of a bad experience, suggesting that the father spoke hurtful words towards the speaker. The poet suggests that the speaker would rather not face her father because of the unease and bad memories associated with him. This also signifies an obvious rift in the relationship between the speaker and her father. The speaker mentions the father’s “the hours of rapping” at her door. This disconcerting auditory imagery serves to demonstrate the father’s endless and forceful attempt to get the speaker’s attention through a series of loud noises, which also suggests that she is frustrated with him and does not want to encounter him. Finally, when the speaker can no longer sleep because of her father’s noises, she “stumbled” to open the door. The poet’s use of this visual imagery presents an image of delay and hesitation, as the speaker is purposefully slowing her steps in order to avoid confronting her father, an unwanted past.

                The poet uses reflective diction and visual imagery in the second stanza to highlight the shift in the speaker’s perspective on her relationship with her father. The speaker mentions her father’s “meanness gone” which implies that he can no longer taunt her, and his threats are powerless. She recognizes him as “pathetic and hollow”, which is a contrast to earlier when she viewed him as threatening. The speaker feels “saved” and can “bear” her father, which connotes that she can tolerate and endure whatever he may present. There is no more fear. Looking into his “blank eyes” the speaker sees what she needed as a child. The poet uses unsettling visual imagery here to show a reaction-less father, empty inside. This serves to illustrate that something vital is missing in the relationship between the speaker and her father. The repeated use of the words “I saw” imply that the speaker’s thoughts and feelings are affirmed in contemplating everything that has been missing and what she yearns for. The mention of “must love” and “might have done”, insinuate regret and longing, suggesting that their relationship is damaged with love not at the foundation, unable to be rebuilt.

The poet uses wary and reflective diction and unappealing abstract visual and auditory imagery to demonstrate the idea that the relationship between the speaker and her father is far too broken to be repaired.