Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Mad Girl's Love Song

by Sylvia Plath


"I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead;
I lift my lids and all is born again.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

The stars go waltzing out in blue and red,
And arbitrary blackness gallops in:
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.

I dreamed that you bewitched me into bed
And sung me moon-struck, kissed me quite insane.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

God topples from the sky, hell's fires fade:
Exit seraphim and Satan's men:
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.

I fancied you'd return the way you said,
But I grow old and I forget your name.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

I should have loved a thunderbird instead;
At least when spring comes they roar back again.
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)"

2 comments:

Ghost Dansing said...

Plath's gravestone in Heptonstall churchyard bears the inscription "Even amidst fierce flames the golden lotus can be planted."

The gravestone has been repeatedly vandalized by some of Plath's supporters who have chiseled the name "Hughes" off it.

This practice intensified following the suicide in 1969 of Assia Wevill, the woman for whom Ted Hughes had left Plath, which led to claims that Hughes had been abusive toward Plath. "Hughes" is now written in bronze in order to prevent future vandalism.

Sherry Pasquarello said...

sad for everyone involved. her son just committed suicide. it could just be that depression runs in her side of the family and that hughes is just attracted to that type of personality.

or, he could be the awful oppressive type, even without physical abuse they can drive one to the edge.