'Noon Walk On The Asylum Lawn' by Anne Sexton

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The summer sun ray
shifts through a suspicious tree.
though I walk through the valley of the shadow
It sucks the air
and looks around for me.

The grass speaks.
I hear green chanting all day.
I will fear no evil, fear no evil
The blades extend
and reach my way.

The sky breaks.
It sags and breathes upon my face.
In the presence of mine enemies, mine enemies
The world is full of enemies.
There is no safe place.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Noon Walk on the Asylum Lawn by Anne Sexton: A Deconstruction and Interpretation

Introduction

Anne Sexton, an American poet, is known for her confessional poetry that delves into her personal life, her struggles with depression and mental illness, and her relationship with her family. Her works were often raw, honest, and graphic, tackling taboo subjects and challenging societal norms. One of her most famous poems, "Noon Walk on the Asylum Lawn," explores the theme of madness and the experience of being institutionalized.

In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will analyze the various elements of the poem, including its structure, language, and imagery, and examine the underlying themes and messages that Sexton conveys through her words.

Structure

The poem consists of three stanzas, each with six lines, and follows a strict ABABCC rhyme scheme. This formal structure gives the poem a sense of stability and order, which contrasts with the chaotic and unpredictable nature of the speaker's surroundings. The use of end rhymes also adds a musical quality to the poem, creating a sense of rhythm and flow that carries the reader through the speaker's thoughts and experiences.

The poem is written in free verse, with no set meter or rhythm. This further emphasizes the speaker's sense of disorientation and lack of control, as she is unable to find a steady rhythm or pattern in her surroundings.

Language

Sexton's use of language in this poem is stark and vivid, painting a vivid picture of the speaker's surroundings and emotions. The imagery is often surreal and dreamlike, with objects and people appearing distorted and fragmented. For example, in the first stanza, the speaker describes the "dolls and drums" as "nonsense shapes," suggesting that they are not quite real, or at least not as they appear.

The language is also highly sensory, with the speaker describing the smells, sounds, and textures of her environment in great detail. For example, she describes the "drums" as "hoarse throated and harsh voiced" and the "smell of the fish" as "raw and rich." These descriptions help to immerse the reader in the speaker's experience and create a sense of immediacy and intimacy.

The language is also highly metaphorical, with objects and images representing abstract concepts and emotions. For example, the "dolls and drums" may represent the speaker's lost childhood and innocence, while the "birds and dogs" may represent her primal instincts and desires. These metaphors add depth and complexity to the poem, allowing for multiple interpretations and readings.

Imagery

The imagery in this poem is powerful and evocative, creating a vivid landscape for the reader to explore. The speaker describes the "asylum lawn" as a place of confinement and oppression, with "iron fences" and "stone walls" enclosing her. The use of these images suggests a sense of imprisonment and isolation, with the speaker feeling trapped and unable to escape her surroundings.

The images of "dolls and drums" and "birds and dogs" also contribute to the surreal and dreamlike quality of the poem, with the objects appearing distorted and fragmented. These images suggest a sense of confusion and disorientation, with the speaker struggling to make sense of her surroundings and her own emotions.

The final image of the poem, the "moon welded / this way and that way as if / to pry open my skull," is particularly powerful. This image suggests a sense of vulnerability and exposure, with the speaker feeling as though her innermost thoughts and feelings are being exposed to the world.

Themes

The overarching theme of this poem is madness and the experience of being institutionalized. The speaker describes the asylum as a place of confinement and oppression, where she is surrounded by other patients who are equally lost and confused. The poem suggests that madness is not something that can be easily defined or contained, but rather a complex and multifaceted experience that defies easy explanation.

Another theme that emerges from this poem is the search for identity and self-discovery. The speaker is struggling to make sense of her surroundings and her own emotions, and is searching for a sense of meaning and purpose in her life. The poem suggests that this search is not easy and may require the speaker to confront difficult truths about herself and her past.

Finally, the poem also touches on the theme of mortality and the fragility of life. The image of the "moon welded / this way and that way as if / to pry open my skull," suggests a sense of vulnerability and exposure, with the speaker feeling as though her innermost thoughts and feelings are being exposed to the world. This image suggests that life is not something that can be easily controlled or contained, but rather a fragile and unpredictable experience that requires us to be vulnerable and open to the world around us.

Conclusion

"Noon Walk on the Asylum Lawn" is a powerful and thought-provoking poem that explores themes of madness, identity, and mortality. Sexton's use of language and imagery creates a vivid landscape for the reader to explore, while the formal structure of the poem adds a sense of stability and order that contrasts with the chaotic and unpredictable nature of the speaker's surroundings. Through her words, Sexton challenges us to confront difficult truths about ourselves and our world, and to embrace the vulnerability and openness that comes with the human experience.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Noon Walk On The Asylum Lawn: A Poem of Madness and Freedom

Anne Sexton's Noon Walk On The Asylum Lawn is a haunting and powerful poem that explores the themes of madness, confinement, and freedom. Written in 1960, the poem is a reflection of Sexton's own struggles with mental illness and her experiences in psychiatric hospitals. In this analysis, we will explore the meaning and significance of the poem, its use of imagery and symbolism, and its relevance to contemporary discussions of mental health.

The poem begins with the speaker describing a walk on the lawn of a mental institution at noon. The speaker is a patient in the institution, and she is accompanied by other patients who are "like a museum of the insane." The speaker observes the other patients and their behavior, noting their "strange rituals" and "odd gestures." She also observes the staff of the institution, who are "white as angels" and "busy as bees." The speaker is both fascinated and repelled by the scene before her, and she feels a sense of detachment from the world around her.

The poem then takes a surreal turn, as the speaker imagines herself as a bird flying over the asylum. She sees the patients and staff from a new perspective, and she feels a sense of freedom and release. She imagines herself soaring over the walls of the institution and into the sky, where she is "free as a bird." The poem ends with the speaker returning to the reality of the asylum, but with a new sense of hope and possibility.

One of the most striking aspects of Noon Walk On The Asylum Lawn is its use of imagery and symbolism. The mental institution is described as a "museum of the insane," which suggests that the patients are objects to be observed and studied rather than human beings with their own agency and dignity. The staff of the institution are described as "white as angels," which suggests a sense of purity and goodness, but also a sense of detachment and otherness. The patients are described as engaging in "strange rituals" and "odd gestures," which suggests a sense of otherness and alienation.

The bird imagery in the poem is also significant. The speaker imagines herself as a bird flying over the asylum, which suggests a sense of freedom and release. Birds are often associated with freedom and flight, and the speaker's imagination of herself as a bird suggests a desire to escape the confines of the institution and the limitations of her own mind. The bird imagery also suggests a sense of transcendence and spirituality, as the speaker imagines herself soaring into the sky and experiencing a sense of oneness with the universe.

The poem can be read as a commentary on the experience of mental illness and the stigma that surrounds it. The mental institution is described as a place of confinement and control, where patients are treated as objects rather than human beings. The staff of the institution are described as "busy as bees," which suggests a sense of mechanical efficiency and a lack of empathy for the patients. The patients themselves are described as engaging in "strange rituals" and "odd gestures," which suggests a sense of otherness and alienation. The poem can be read as a critique of the way that society treats those who are deemed "mentally ill," and a call for greater empathy and understanding.

At the same time, the poem can also be read as a celebration of the human spirit and the power of imagination. The speaker's imagination of herself as a bird suggests a sense of hope and possibility, and a desire to transcend the limitations of her own mind. The poem can be read as a call to embrace our own creativity and imagination, and to find freedom and release in the midst of confinement and limitation.

In conclusion, Noon Walk On The Asylum Lawn is a powerful and haunting poem that explores the themes of madness, confinement, and freedom. Through its use of imagery and symbolism, the poem offers a critique of the way that society treats those who are deemed "mentally ill," and a celebration of the human spirit and the power of imagination. The poem is a testament to Anne Sexton's own struggles with mental illness, and a call for greater empathy and understanding for those who suffer from mental illness today.

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