Both the poems Love song: I and thou and The Cap and Bells explore different representations of love. Each of the poems, however, present love in very different ways. Where Alan Dugan displays his view on marital love in an unromantic manner within his poem Love song: I and Thou, Yeats' The Cap and Bells differs by showing the readers a view on a romantic or obsessive love which is unlikely to be requited, due to the difference in social rank in their society.

William Butler Yeats' The Cap and Bells depicts the behaviour of love through an account of actions between a jester and a Queen. Through the use of many symbolic references, the characters reflect a lover's actions to his loved one. His use of a jester in love shows us that
The statement signifies that he blames himself for his current situation.

Dugan uses visual imagery and a sense of energy shown by, "I / danced with a purple thumb," which gives the readers a comic idea of this mans fury. The humorous energy in this poem contrasts with the soft flow in the Cap and Bells. The speaker tells us that he is, "drunk / with [his] prime whiskey: rage," and through metaphors and the speakers actions, it shows us that he has a self destructive, intoxicating rage, which contrasts with the quiet ending of the poem and peaceful nature in Yeats' poem.

A pause from the chaotic settings brings relief to the speaker,
"it held. It settled plum, level, solid, square and true for that one great moment."
The peace for this "one great moment," however, does not last. The speaker understands that if he had worked with as much anger, conviction and desire before he might have something strong to live on today but that it is too late for him to change his faulty ways now. Dugan uses personification of the house saying that it, "screamed," and skewed the other way. This gives the readers a sense of empathetic frustration towards the speaker. Alan Dugan then uses a colloquial style of writing to show