How do you define a perfect match? Society defines two equally attractive individuals as perfectly matched, and a woman's beauty defines her attractiveness. In “Litany,” Collin's speaker presents and describes a true, unconditional, and unequal relationship as a perfect puzzle. The speaker names the characteristics and attributes his lover lacks, while also listing other attributes ambiguously. By using "you" the speaker portrays and addresses his lover with unusual and normally undesirable comparisons. He describes himself as more attractive and the fact that despite his superior characteristics, he still needs her and loves her. Many of his comments are ambiguous and have double meanings. The Shakespeare-like “Litany,” “My mistress's eyes are not like the sun,” mocks the perfection and romantic idealism of love. Through metaphors, effective use of syntax, structure, and contrast, Collins effectively conveys humorous satire towards traditional love poems while describing the vision of a perfect match. Essentially, the entire poem is a flow of metaphors. These metaphors evoke various images that describe the speaker or his lover through contrast. However, Collins illustrates the essence and attributes of lover's love with strange comparisons. For example, he begins the fourth stanza with “and a quick glance in the mirror to show / That you're not nor the boots in the corner” (lines 16-17). Traditionally, the poet extolled a woman's beauty or attractive features. The speaker however denies that his appearance is neither rude nor that his face is forgetful stating that it is not like “boots in the corner”. The metaphorical comparison is synthetic. Collins omits the typical infatuation... middle of the paper... an alistic romance places the speaker and his love in their realistic dimension. Although he can list the lover's flaws, he is able to demonstrate that he lacks his positive sides. Even though she is exceptional, she needs her to complete herself and shine. Collin's paints a picture of a man without much stability who fits perfectly with the woman who, ignoring other standards, completes and compliments him. Additionally, Collins manages to describe a love story from some angles in the absence of a rhyme scheme. Instead, Collins entertains the reader with a light-hearted, comical puzzle. The speaker goes against the generalization of society. His lover is not described as a great beauty or on par with him, yet he loves her for who and what she is. Works Cited "Litany". Poets.org - Poetry, poems, biographies and more. Network. 17 September. 2011. .