This is an interesting poem that appears to deal with the subject of a

person rebounding from a failed relationship into a new romantic

encounter set against the cliched romantic backdrop of Paris. However,
upon closer inspection it seems that despite the overt romantic language
and imagery there is also a dark side of this poem suggesting that the
heartbroken speaker is merely looking for some company to help them
deal with the fallout of a failed relationship.The title of the poem, 'In
Paris With You' establishes what the reader supposes is the setting of the
poem: Paris. It is perhaps useful to remember that some people refer to
Paris as 'the city of romance' or 'the most romantic city in the world' due
to its association with romantic literature, 19th century liberalism, the
sexual freedoms of the 1960s and a general racial stereotype that
maintains that French people enjoy pleasure above all else. Stereotypes
aside (we should never deal with stereotypes) Paris is a beautiful and
historic city perfect for a romantic trip away or 'dirty weekend'. The title
of the poem immediately puts the reader in mind of romance,
particularly that the title indicates that the speaker is in Paris with
someone else. It could be that the poet is establishing a cliched setting
for a poem that despite its overtly romantic language is actually dealing
with what could be an awkward sexual encounter between two
strangers. On the other hand, the poem could be a celebration of finding
new love, or an exciting and unexpected romance in one of the most
beautiful cities in the world.
The poem starts with a morose tone and imagery suggestive of a break-
up. The speaker starts with the negative imperative 'don't talk to me
about love' which immediately tells the reader that love is a difficult
subject for the speaker. The speaker goes on to explain how they get
tearful when they have had a drink, punning the phrase 'walking
wounded' which is a military phrase referring to someone who is hurt
but can carry on fighting, with the phrase 'talking wounded' implying
that despite their broken heart and bruised feelings, the speaker will
continue to look for love, or at the very least, some company. The
speaker continues to develop the theme of surviving heartbreak by
comparing his or her situation with that of being marooned or being a
hostage. Presumably, the reference to being marooned invokes a sense
of isolation and vulnerability, just as the word 'hostage' suggests that
they are trapped, perhaps trapped in their feelings for an old
relationship. Interestingly, the first stanza puts me in mind of a couple
meeting in a bar and trying to strike up a conversation where one of the
two is a little unwilling to play the game. The last line of the stanza, 'but
I'm in Paris with you' suggests a contrasting set of emotions, whereby
the speaker's unhappy feelings are somehow tempered by the fact that
he or she is with someone special in Paris. Either way the structural
purpose of the opening stanza helps to establish a point of comparative
contrast with the rest of the poem as it beings to develop and challenge
ideas about love and romance.
Stanza two continues to develop some of the context or backstory to the
poem. We, the reader, learn that the speaker is unhappy, that they've
been through a mess. We learn that they could be on the rebound, which
means that having had their heart broken they have stumbled into a new
relationship very quickly not because they are in love but that they are
unhappy and want some tender loving care. Usually people talk about a
rebound relationship as a negative experience because one person isn't
committed to the relationship and simply doesn't want to be alone,
whereas the other is falling love, either way it usually ends badly for
both parties. The poet plays with the notion of rebounding off one
relationship and into another by rhyming the words 'rebound' and
'bound', both notably at the end of consecutive lines (end rhyme), whichi
suggests that the speaker doesn't care where the new relationship is
going (where it is bound). The use of end rhyme adds a satisfying
abruptness to the idea of stumbling into a new relationship without
caring where it is going. The stanza ends with the refrain 'I'm in Paris
with you' only this time omitting 'but' which gives the line a slightly
more positive tone.
The third and fourth stanzas are very interesting. The speaker asks if it is
possible to miss the tour of Paris including the most famous landmarks
(Notre Dame etc) and stay in the 'sleazy hotel room' instead. One
reading would suggest that this is a wonderfully romantic gesture with
the lovers staying in bed rather than going on a sightseeing tour.
However, the word 'sleazy' bothers me as I'm not convinced that the
speaker is being ironic and making a joke about staying bed for more
"sleazy" purposes. The two stanzas flow into one another using
enjambment to show that this thought process is taking place in the
same moment. The poet establishes the setting of a 'sleazy' hotel room
which contrasts nicely with what a reader would usually expect of a love
poem taking place in Paris. My impression is that the poet and the
speaker are trying to be purposefully ambiguous (no obvious meaning).
The scene it meant to be a little bit sleazy and a little bit romantic, which
befits the idea of a person throwing themselves into a new relationship
when the wounds of the last one have not yet healed. These people are
only just getting to know each other and 'learn' about each other and
what they are. The word 'what' suggests that the speaker isn't sure what
is going on and what his or her role in all this actually is. The line 'doing
this and that' is an awkward phrase that refers to them having sex, but
why dress it in such an awkward way? Does this imply that the speaker
is a little ashamed by what's going on, or is it just a playful joke about
having some naughty sex in a sleazy hotel room in Paris? It isn't clear
and it isn't meant to be, after all love, passion and even brief encounters
are exciting yet extremely complex and confusing experiences.
The fourth stanza appears to focus the setting even more emphatically,
with the speaker describing the crack on the ceiling and referring to the
view of Paris from the bedroom window. The walls are peeling, the
ceiling is cracked, this clearly isn't a five stat hotel, but perhaps that
doesn't matter because these people have each other and that's all that
really matters. On the other hand, the attention to detail could suggest
that the speaker is distracted and painfully aware of the unpleasant
surroundings, hardly the setting for a great Parisian romance.
The final, concluding stanza brings all these competing emotions
together in a game of word play and imagery. The speaker could be said
to be swapping the word 'love' for the word 'Paris' as in 'I'm in Paris
[love] with your eyes', which could suggest that he or she is
uncomfortable saying the word 'love' or equally that due to the power
and beauty of Paris the comparison is a huge compliment. If the poet is
using metonymy (swapping closely associated words for effect
Paris/Love) it could be to emphasise the the growing love between the
lovers or to highlight the awkward tension between them. The speaker
continues with the awkward sexual jokes or double entendre with the line
'all points south' which probably means the other person's genitals, but
also mean that things arn't working out and are in fact, heading south.
The speaker intervenes in the poem by asking 'am I embarrassing you'
which could be a question directed at the reader, who in this instance
could feel like a voyeur watching a couple's intimate moment, or it could
be directed at the other person in the poem. Again, it could simply be
playful jokes, or could relate to something more troubling. The poem
ends with the refrain 'I'm in Paris with you' which is a complete
declarative statement which gives the poem a sense of closure, but
doesn't really answer all the questions.