Said+the+Poet+Analysis

John Shapley The title of the poem “Said the Poem to the Analyst” by Anne Sexton is kind of a uninteresting title to start with, but after you read through the poem you can see that it actually adds a lot and is more unusual than it seems. Without the title you would never even be able to tell who the poet was talking to, or even if the poet was talking to anyone at all. Also, throughout the poem the two jobs, poet and analyst, are compared but in very subtle, open to wide interpretation, ways. The title kind of sets a frame for the poem that really gives the reader a mindset to start reading. Sexton could of named the poem something more weird or less obviously like Confessions, but I argue that the bland, boring quality of the title adds to the mysteriousness of the poem.
 * “Said the Poet to the Analyst” Analysis**

The poem is written in an odd, half rhyming, half free verse type of arrangement where the first two line of each stanza are not rhymed but then it has a ABABCDC rhyme scheme. Another thing is that each line doesn’t have the same number of syllables. The numbers are close, except for the last line of each stanza containing only three words each. Since I think that the poem is broken up into two clear parts by the stanzas, the short line at the end of each really helps wrap things up.

The first stanza is expressing how to be a poet, what one does, and how a poet works. A poet "works with words" and in this stanza it seems like Sexton compares words to a kind of animal that needs to be tamed and set in order. She is saying that words is as important as labels (which refers to names) or coins (money) and the swarming bees refers to life itself. In the poem it states, “as if words were counted like dead bees in the attic, unbuckled from their yellow eyes and their dry wings.” This is kind of confusing but Sexton is not actually talking about bees. The poet is actually referring to how words are so powerful that they could set free the people grieving from loss because those people can write a poem and feel happier. In the next couple lines Sexton continues on the idea of words being in control, and that they can almost force you into things, good and bad, and that it is hard to stay in control and really say what you really want to say, not what others want you to say.

In the second paragraph the poet is basically criticizing the analyst for criticizing the way he/she works. It never says it specifically but I read that the analyst is criticizing the poet for not really working and having to go to Vegas and get inspiration. The analyst is saying that the poet doesn’t really have an honest, real job. But, the poet counters by saying that “your business is watching my words” not working with them which is much more difficult. The poet also says that even if I have to go to Las Vegas every once in a while, when I win the jackpot on the slot machines and win so much money that I feel weak, I feel so inspired that I can write about it and if you don’t call that work, I don’t know what is.

There is a lot of imagery in this poem and I believe that there really needs to be in order to fully capture the meaning of the writing. This poem by Anne Sexton is a wonderful piece that truly encompasses the strength of words. How they can make people or break people, because although people put a lot into gambling, as shown in the second stanza, they almost never get anything out of it. That’s why the poet felt so weak when she won. This poem also teaches us an important lesson. To not criticize others when you have no idea what they have been through like the analyst did, saying that the poet was pursuing a proper line of work. As stated earlier, this poem is open to many, many different interpretations, just like the poet can use words to interpret feelings and make poems.

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