The Love Song (?) of J. Alfred Prufrock

I had to read through this poem a few times to come to a conclusion as to what it might be about. I understood it to be about a man who has dreamed about all of these mystical things all of his life, yet has seemingly lead a normal, mundane life – as he says, “I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.” At the start of the poem, he seems almost hopeful to facing life with his lover. He says, “In the room the women come and go / Talking of Michelangelo.” As the poem progresses, however, he begins to lose his youth. His hair is falling out, his muscles are shrinking, and his dreams are dying. He looks back at his life, reminiscing about the many wonderful things he experienced, but also realizing that his youth is gone. He seems to be having a sort of mid-life crisis, pondering what he is to do with his life now. He continues to dream until, as he says, “human voices wake us, and we drown.”

After analyzing this poem, I have to ask, where is the “Love Song” part? Maybe it’s just not love as we would think?

I commented on Nathanael Carroll's post.