'Love Letter Written In A Burning Building' by Anne Sexton
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I am in a crate, the crate that was ours,
full of white shirts and salad greens,
the icebox knocking at our delectable knocks,
and I wore movies in my eyes,
and you wore eggs in your tunnel,
and we played sheets, sheets, sheets
all day, even in the bathtub like lunatics.
But today I set the bed afire
and smoke is filling the room,
it is getting hot enough for the walls to melt,
and the icebox, a gluey white tooth.I have on a mask in order to write my last words,
and they are just for you, and I will place them
in the icebox saved for vodka and tomatoes,
and perhaps they will last.
The dog will not.Her spots will fall off.
The old letters will melt into a black bee.
The night gowns are already shredding
into paper, the yellow, the red, the purple.
The bed -- well, the sheets have turned to gold --
hard, hard gold, and the mattress
is being kissed into a stone.As for me, my dearest Foxxy,
my poems to you may or may not reach the icebox
and its hopeful eternity,
for isn't yours enough?
The one where you name
my name right out in P.R.?
If my toes weren't yielding to pitch
I'd tell the whole story --
not just the sheet story
but the belly-button story,
the pried-eyelid story,
the whiskey-sour-of-the-nipple story --
and shovel back our love where it belonged.Despite my asbestos gloves,
the cough is filling me with black and a red powder seeps through my
veins,
our little crate goes down so publicly
and without meaning it, you see, meaning a solo act,
a cremation of the love,
but instead we seem to be going down right in the middle of a Russian
street,
the flames making the sound of
the horse being beaten and beaten,
the whip is adoring its human triumph
while the flies wait, blow by blow,
straight from United Fruit, Inc.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Love Letter Written In A Burning Building: A Poetic Masterpiece
Anne Sexton's "Love Letter Written In A Burning Building" is an emotionally charged poem that captures the essence of love and passion in a truly unique way. The poem is a tribute to the intensity of love, and the desperate, sometimes destructive, lengths that we will go to for the sake of that love.
The Power of Fire
The poem is set in a burning building, where the narrator is writing a love letter to her lover. The fire is a powerful symbol throughout the poem, representing both the intensity of the narrator's passion and the destruction that love can sometimes bring.
As the narrator writes her letter, she describes the flames around her, using vivid imagery to convey the danger and the beauty of the fire. She writes:
The room is completely on fire and she's writing a letter, begging forgiveness from her mother.
The juxtaposition of the burning room and the narrator's plea for forgiveness creates a sense of desperation and urgency that is palpable throughout the poem. This is a love that is all-consuming, a love that burns with a fierce intensity.
The Language of Love
Sexton's use of language in the poem is masterful, with each word carefully chosen to convey the narrator's emotions. The poem is written in free verse, with no set rhyme scheme or meter, allowing the language to flow freely and capture the raw, unfiltered intensity of the narrator's emotions.
The use of repetition in the poem is particularly effective, with certain phrases repeated throughout to emphasize their importance. For example, the phrase "I love you" is repeated several times, each time with slightly different wording, conveying the depth and complexity of the narrator's feelings.
Sexton also uses metaphor and imagery to add depth to the poem. The burning building represents the destruction that love can bring, while the narrator's plea for forgiveness symbolizes the pain that love can cause. The use of these symbols adds richness and depth to the poem, making it a truly powerful work of art.
The Theme of Love
At its core, "Love Letter Written In A Burning Building" is a poem about the power of love. The narrator's love is all-consuming, burning with a fierce intensity that cannot be tamed. She writes:
I love you more than life itself but I'm afraid to tell you. I'm afraid you'll reject me.
This fear of rejection is a common theme in love poems, but Sexton takes it to new heights with her use of the burning building as a symbol of the danger and risk that comes with love.
The poem also explores the theme of forgiveness, as the narrator begs for forgiveness from her mother. This adds another layer of complexity to the poem, highlighting the idea that love can sometimes cause pain and hurt, but that forgiveness and understanding can help to heal those wounds.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "Love Letter Written In A Burning Building" is a true masterpiece of poetry. The use of vivid imagery, powerful language, and powerful symbolism creates a work of art that captures the essence of love and passion in a way that few other poems can. Whether you're a fan of poetry or not, this is a poem that you simply must read. It's powerful, emotional, and unforgettable.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Anne Sexton’s “Love Letter Written In A Burning Building” is a classic poem that has captured the hearts of many readers since its publication in 1975. The poem is a powerful and emotional piece that explores the themes of love, loss, and desperation. In this analysis, we will delve into the poem’s structure, language, and themes to understand its significance and impact.
Structure
The poem is structured in a unique way that adds to its emotional impact. It is divided into three stanzas, each with a different tone and purpose. The first stanza is a description of the burning building and the speaker’s situation. The second stanza is a love letter addressed to the speaker’s lover. The third stanza is a plea for help and a final goodbye.
The first stanza sets the scene and creates a sense of urgency. The speaker describes the burning building and the chaos that surrounds her. The use of vivid imagery, such as “the walls are red and the roof is on fire” and “the flames leap like angels” creates a sense of danger and desperation. The short, choppy sentences and lack of punctuation add to the feeling of chaos and urgency.
The second stanza is the heart of the poem. It is a love letter addressed to the speaker’s lover. The tone is intimate and passionate, with the speaker expressing her love and desire for her partner. The use of metaphors and imagery, such as “my heart is a red rose” and “I am a bird that loves you,” adds to the romantic and emotional tone of the stanza. The repetition of the phrase “I love you” emphasizes the depth of the speaker’s feelings.
The third stanza is a plea for help and a final goodbye. The tone is desperate and resigned, with the speaker acknowledging that she is likely to die in the fire. The repetition of the phrase “please come” emphasizes the speaker’s desperation and longing for her lover to save her. The final line, “I love you more than life itself,” is a powerful statement of the speaker’s love and devotion.
Language
The language used in the poem is simple and direct, but also rich in imagery and metaphor. The use of metaphor and imagery adds depth and emotion to the poem, creating a sense of intimacy and passion. The repetition of certain phrases, such as “I love you” and “please come,” emphasizes the speaker’s desperation and longing.
The use of color imagery is particularly effective in creating a sense of danger and urgency. The use of the color red, for example, is used to describe both the building and the speaker’s heart. This creates a connection between the speaker and the burning building, emphasizing the danger and desperation of the situation.
Themes
The poem explores several themes, including love, loss, and desperation. The theme of love is central to the poem, with the speaker expressing her love and devotion to her partner. The use of metaphors and imagery, such as “my heart is a red rose” and “I am a bird that loves you,” emphasizes the depth and intensity of the speaker’s feelings.
The theme of loss is also present in the poem, with the speaker acknowledging that she is likely to die in the fire. The repetition of the phrase “please come” emphasizes the speaker’s desperation and longing for her lover to save her. The final line, “I love you more than life itself,” is a powerful statement of the speaker’s love and devotion, even in the face of death.
The theme of desperation is perhaps the most prominent in the poem. The use of vivid imagery and repetition creates a sense of urgency and danger. The speaker’s plea for help and final goodbye emphasize the desperation of the situation and the speaker’s longing for her lover.
Conclusion
Anne Sexton’s “Love Letter Written In A Burning Building” is a powerful and emotional poem that explores the themes of love, loss, and desperation. The unique structure, rich language, and vivid imagery create a sense of intimacy and passion that has resonated with readers for decades. The poem is a testament to the power of love and the human spirit, even in the face of danger and despair.
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