'The Break Away' by Anne Sexton
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Your daisies have come
on the day of my divorce:
the courtroom a cement box,
a gas chamber for the infectious Jew in me
and a perhaps land, a possibly promised land
for the Jew in me,
but still a betrayal room for the till-death-do-us—
and yet a death, as in the unlocking of scissors
that makes the now separate parts useless,
even to cut each other up as we did yearly
under the crayoned-in sun.
The courtroom keeps squashing our lives as they break
into two cans ready for recycling,
flattened tin humans
and a tin law,
even for my twenty-five years of hanging on
by my teeth as I once saw at Ringling Brothers.
The gray room:
Judge, lawyer, witness
and me and invisible Skeezix,
and all the other torn
enduring the bewilderments
of their division.
Your daisies have come
on the day of my divorce.
They arrive like round yellow fish,
sucking with love at the coral of our love.
Yet they wait,
in their short time,
like little utero half-borns,
half killed, thin and bone soft.
They breathe the air that stands
for twenty-five illicit days,
the sun crawling inside the sheets,
the moon spinning like a tornado
in the washbowl,
and we orchestrated them both,
calling ourselves TWO CAMP DIRECTORS.
There was a song, our song on your cassette,
that played over and over
and baptised the prodigals.
It spoke the unspeakable,
as the rain will on an attic roof,
letting the animal join its soul
as we kneeled before a miracle--
forgetting its knife.
The daisies confer
in the old-married kitchen
papered with blue and green chefs
who call out
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Break Away by Anne Sexton: A Powerful and Thought-Provoking Poem
As literature lovers, we're always on the lookout for poems that stir our emotions and provoke deep thoughts. And when it comes to such poems, Anne Sexton's "The Break Away" is undoubtedly one of the most powerful and thought-provoking works out there.
But what makes this poem so special? What themes and motifs does it tackle? And how does it affect us as readers? In this literary criticism and interpretation, we'll dive deep into all these questions and more.
The Poem's Structure and Language
Before we delve into the poem's themes, let's take a moment to appreciate its structure and language. The Break Away is a free verse poem, which means that it doesn't follow any specific rhyme scheme or meter. Instead, it's composed of short, choppy lines that create a sense of urgency and fragmentation.
The poem's language is equally sparse and direct, with Sexton using simple words and images to convey complex emotions. For example, the first stanza reads:
"Your daisies have come on the day of my divorce: the courtroom a cement box, a gas chamber for the infectious Jew in me and a perhaps land, a possibly promised land for the Jew in me, but still a betrayal room for the till-death-do-us— and yet, a death, a real death, sort of death,"
Here, Sexton uses the metaphor of flowers (daisies) blooming on the day of her divorce to juxtapose the beauty and hope of new beginnings with the ugliness and pain of endings. The courtroom, a place of law and justice, is compared to a "cement box" and a "gas chamber" to highlight the speaker's feelings of confinement and persecution as a Jewish woman.
The line "till-death-do-us" is interrupted by a dash, creating a sense of abruptness and finality. And the final phrase, "sort of death" is a poignant way of describing the end of a marriage, which is not a physical death but still feels like one.
Themes and Motifs
Now let's move on to the poem's main themes and motifs. The Break Away revolves around the idea of breaking free from oppressive forces, whether they're societal norms, cultural traditions, or personal demons.
The opening lines, which describe the divorce of the speaker, set the stage for this theme. The speaker is breaking away from a marriage that has become a "betrayal room" and a "death" of sorts. But the poem quickly expands to encompass broader issues of identity and autonomy.
In the second stanza, the speaker says:
"I am controlled by the marketplace of love when all I want is the ecstasy of solitudes."
Here, Sexton uses the metaphor of the "marketplace of love" to describe the pressure society puts on individuals to conform to traditional gender roles and find romantic partners. The speaker, however, desires "the ecstasy of solitudes," or the freedom to be alone and independent.
This desire for autonomy is further explored in the third stanza:
"You are the sun and I am the moon. You are the words and I am the tune. Play me."
Here, the speaker compares herself to the moon, a celestial body that orbits around the sun but is still distinct and independent. She also describes herself as the "tune" to the other person's "words," suggesting that she wants to be an active participant in the relationship rather than a passive receiver.
The final stanza brings all these themes together in a powerful conclusion:
"Be careful. I might be the instigator of the resurrection of the dead. I might have to blow on the embers of the phoenix before you can renew yourself again."
Here, the speaker warns her partner to be careful, as she has the power to bring about a rebirth and renewal. She is not just breaking away for her own sake but also for the sake of her partner, who may need to undergo a similar transformation.
The Poem's Impact
So how does The Break Away affect us as readers? For one, it forces us to confront our own desires for autonomy and independence. It asks us to question the societal norms and expectations that hold us back and to consider breaking away from them.
The poem also celebrates the power of rebirth and renewal, reminding us that even in the darkest of times, there is always the potential for growth and transformation. And it does all this with a language and structure that are both direct and poignant, leaving a lasting impression on the reader's heart and mind.
In conclusion, The Break Away is a truly remarkable poem that speaks to the human experience in a profound and meaningful way. Its themes of autonomy, identity, and rebirth are universal and timeless, making it a work of literature that will continue to resonate with readers for generations to come.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Break Away: A Poetic Masterpiece by Anne Sexton
Anne Sexton, the Pulitzer Prize-winning American poet, is known for her confessional style of writing that delves deep into the human psyche. Her poem, The Break Away, is a classic example of her unique style that combines raw emotions with vivid imagery. Published in 1960, The Break Away is a powerful and moving poem that explores the theme of freedom and the desire to break free from the constraints of society.
The poem begins with the speaker describing a horse that is tied to a post, unable to move freely. The horse is described as being "twitching with its muscle" and "itching to run." The imagery of the horse is a metaphor for the speaker's own desire to break free from the constraints of society. The horse represents the speaker's inner self, which is restless and yearning for freedom.
The second stanza of the poem describes the speaker's own situation. She is tied to the "post of her own fear" and is unable to break free. The speaker is trapped by her own fears and insecurities, which prevent her from living a life of freedom. The use of the word "post" is significant as it represents the societal norms and expectations that hold the speaker back.
The third stanza of the poem describes the speaker's desire to break free. She longs to "gallop wildly" and "run with the wind." The use of the word "gallop" is significant as it represents the speaker's desire to move forward with great speed and energy. The speaker wants to break free from the constraints of society and live a life of freedom and adventure.
The fourth stanza of the poem describes the speaker's fear of breaking away. She is afraid of what lies ahead and is uncertain about the future. The use of the word "fear" is significant as it represents the speaker's inner turmoil and anxiety. The speaker is torn between her desire for freedom and her fear of the unknown.
The fifth stanza of the poem describes the speaker's decision to break away. She decides to "break the halter" and "run free." The use of the word "halter" is significant as it represents the societal norms and expectations that hold the speaker back. The speaker decides to break free from these constraints and live a life of freedom and adventure.
The final stanza of the poem describes the speaker's joy and exhilaration as she breaks free. She feels the wind in her hair and the sun on her face. The use of the word "exhilaration" is significant as it represents the speaker's sense of freedom and liberation. The speaker is no longer tied down by societal norms and expectations and is free to live a life of her own choosing.
The Break Away is a powerful and moving poem that explores the theme of freedom and the desire to break free from the constraints of society. The use of vivid imagery and metaphorical language creates a sense of raw emotion and intensity that is characteristic of Anne Sexton's writing style. The poem is a testament to the human spirit and the power of the individual to break free from the chains of society and live a life of freedom and adventure.
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