When ties have already been severed, why should there still be cruelty? Those who no longer have any concern do not even bother to torment.
There is a poignant, bittersweet irony woven into this couplet: true indifference never wastes energy on torment. The poet questions the beloved, wondering why they still bother to inflict pain if all ties have genuinely been severed. Cold apathy simply turns away and forgets, meaning this lingering cruelty is a quiet confession that some unspoken attachment still endures.
Interpretation note: meanings and explanations may be AI-assisted and should not replace a primary text or scholarly edition. See the editorial policy.
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