More and More ~ A Poem by Margaret Atwood

When Hunger Becomes Connection: Exploring the Deep Longing in Atwood’s “More and More

Margaret Atwood’s poem exposes a raw, aching desire to merge with another person—not out of possession, but out of profound yearning for connection. Here’s what it reveals about us.

More and More

Margaret Atwood

More and more frequently the edges
of me dissolve and I become
a wish to assimilate the world, including
you, if possible through the skin
like a cool plant’s tricks with oxygen
and live by a harmless green burning.
I would not consume
you or ever
finish, you would still be there
surrounding me, complete
as the air.
Unfortunately I don’t have leaves.
Instead I have eyes
and teeth and other non-green
things which rule out osmosis.
So be careful, I mean it,
I give you fair warning:
This kind of hunger draws
everything into its own
space; nor can we
talk it all over, have a calm
rational discussion.
There is no reason for this, only
a starved dog’s logic about bones.

Source

Reflection:

Atwood’s More and More pulls us into the fierce tenderness of human longing—the hunger not to own someone, but to dissolve the distance between two lives. Her speaker dreams of an impossible intimacy, wishing for the gentle absorption of a plant yet recognizing the sharp, imperfect tools of humanity: eyes, teeth, the ache of desire. This poem reveals a truth about us all—we crave a connection so complete that words fall short and logic crumbles. Atwood reminds us that real closeness isn’t rational; it’s instinctive, powerful, and often vulnerable.

Question for Readers:

How did Atwood’s portrayal of longing and “harmless green burning” speak to your own experiences of desire or connection?