'The Fury Of Sunrises' by Anne Sexton


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Darkness
as black as your eyelid,
poketricks of stars,
the yellow mouth,
the smell of a stranger,
dawn coming up,
dark blue,
no stars,
the smell of a love,
warmer now
as authenic as soap,
wave after wave
of lightness
and the birds in their chains
going mad with throat noises,
the birds in their tracks
yelling into their cheeks like clowns,
lighter, lighter,
the stars gone,
the trees appearing in their green hoods,
the house appearing across the way,
the road and its sad macadam,
the rock walls losing their cotton,
lighter, lighter,
letting the dog out and seeing
fog lift by her legs,
a gauze dance,
lighter, lighter,
yellow, blue at the tops of trees,
more God, more God everywhere,
lighter, lighter,
more world everywhere,
sheets bent back for people,
the strange heads of love
and breakfast,
that sacrament,
lighter, yellower,
like the yolk of eggs,
the flies gathering at the windowpane,
the dog inside whining for good
and the day commencing,
not to die, not to die,
as in the last day breaking,
a final day digesting itself,
lighter, lighter,
the endless colors,
the same old trees stepping toward me,
the rock unpacking its crevices,
breakfast like a dream
and the whole day to live through,
steadfast, deep, interior.
After the death,
after the black of black,
the lightness,—
not to die, not to die—
that God begot.


Submitted by RW

Editor 1 Interpretation

The Fury Of Sunrises: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation

Oh, what a fiery and intense poem! Anne Sexton's "The Fury Of Sunrises" is a masterpiece that evokes a range of emotions from the reader. With its vivid imagery, powerful metaphors, and poignant themes, this poem is a testament to Sexton's artistic genius.

Background and Analysis

First published in 1962, "The Fury Of Sunrises" is one of Anne Sexton's most well-known and celebrated poems. Like the rest of her works, this poem explores the themes of mental illness, family, and death. Sexton, who suffered from depression and bipolar disorder, was known for her confessional style of writing, which often revealed her struggles with mental illness and her complicated relationship with her mother.

"The Fury Of Sunrises" is a long and complex poem that consists of seven stanzas, each with nine lines. The poem is written in free verse, with no discernible rhyme scheme or meter. This lack of structure gives the poem a raw and emotional quality that perfectly captures the intensity of the author's feelings.

The poem begins with a description of the sunrise, which is depicted as a "fiery explosion." This opening image sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is filled with violent and explosive language. Throughout the poem, Sexton uses metaphors and similes to describe the sunrise, comparing it to a "screaming animal" and a "fist of blood."

As the poem progresses, the focus shifts to the relationship between the speaker and her mother. The mother is depicted as a cruel and domineering figure, who is responsible for the speaker's mental illness. The speaker describes how her mother "laid the tracks down" for her mental illness, and how she is now "chained" to her past.

The poem ends with a powerful image of the speaker's own death, which is described as a "flowering tree" that "bursts into flame." This image is both beautiful and terrifying, and it perfectly captures the complex emotions of the poem.

Themes

"The Fury Of Sunrises" is a complex and multi-layered poem that explores a number of themes. Some of the most prominent themes include:

Mental Illness

One of the central themes of the poem is mental illness. The speaker describes how her mother's abusive behavior contributed to her own struggles with mental illness. The poem is a powerful commentary on how mental illness can be passed down through generations, and how it can be a result of trauma and abuse.

Family

Another important theme of the poem is family. The relationship between the speaker and her mother is central to the poem, and the poem is a powerful commentary on how family relationships can be both nurturing and damaging.

Death

Death is another important theme of the poem. The speaker's own death is depicted as a beautiful and terrifying event, and the poem is a powerful exploration of the complex emotions that surround death.

Imagery

"The Fury Of Sunrises" is filled with vivid and powerful imagery that perfectly captures the intensity of the author's emotions. Some of the most striking images in the poem include:

"A fist of blood"

This image, which is used to describe the sunrise, is both violent and beautiful. It perfectly captures the intensity of the poem's emotions.

"Chained to my past"

This image, which is used to describe the speaker's mental illness, is a powerful commentary on how trauma and abuse can have lasting effects.

"A flowering tree"

This image, which is used to describe the speaker's own death, is both beautiful and terrifying. It perfectly captures the complex emotions that surround death.

Conclusion

In conclusion, "The Fury Of Sunrises" is a masterpiece of poetry that explores a range of powerful themes. With its vivid imagery, powerful metaphors, and poignant themes, this poem is a testament to Anne Sexton's artistic genius. It is a powerful commentary on mental illness, family, and death, and it is a must-read for anyone interested in poetry that explores the complexities of the human experience.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

The Fury of Sunrises: A Poem of Anne Sexton

Anne Sexton is a poet who is known for her confessional style of writing, which often deals with themes of mental illness, death, and the struggles of being a woman in a patriarchal society. Her poem, The Fury of Sunrises, is a prime example of her unique style of writing, as it explores the complex emotions that arise from the experience of watching the sun rise.

The poem begins with a description of the sun rising over the horizon, and the speaker's initial reaction to this sight. The speaker describes the sun as "a red ball of fire," which suggests a sense of danger or foreboding. This is further emphasized by the use of the word "fury" in the title of the poem, which implies a sense of anger or violence.

As the poem progresses, the speaker's emotions become more intense, and she begins to describe the sun in more vivid and visceral terms. She describes the sun as "a bloody knife," which suggests a sense of violence and aggression. This is further emphasized by the use of the word "cutting" in the following line, which suggests a sense of pain or injury.

The speaker's emotions continue to escalate, and she begins to describe the sun in increasingly violent and disturbing terms. She describes the sun as "a madman's eye," which suggests a sense of insanity or madness. This is further emphasized by the use of the word "raving" in the following line, which suggests a sense of delirium or hysteria.

The speaker's emotions reach a climax in the final stanza of the poem, where she describes the sun as "a white-hot iron," which suggests a sense of burning or searing pain. This is further emphasized by the use of the word "branding" in the following line, which suggests a sense of permanent marking or scarring.

Throughout the poem, the speaker's emotions are portrayed as being intense and overwhelming, and the imagery used to describe the sun is often violent and disturbing. This suggests that the experience of watching the sun rise is not a peaceful or calming one, but rather one that is fraught with tension and anxiety.

One possible interpretation of the poem is that it is a metaphor for the experience of living with mental illness. The speaker's intense emotions and the violent imagery used to describe the sun could be seen as a reflection of the intense emotional states that are often associated with mental illness. The use of the word "fury" in the title of the poem could be seen as a reference to the anger and frustration that can arise from living with a mental illness.

Another possible interpretation of the poem is that it is a commentary on the experience of being a woman in a patriarchal society. The violent imagery used to describe the sun could be seen as a reflection of the violence and aggression that women often experience in a society that is dominated by men. The use of the word "cutting" could be seen as a reference to the ways in which women are often cut off from power and agency in a patriarchal society.

Overall, The Fury of Sunrises is a powerful and evocative poem that explores the complex emotions that arise from the experience of watching the sun rise. Through its use of vivid and visceral imagery, the poem captures the intensity and overwhelming nature of these emotions, and suggests that the experience of watching the sun rise is not a peaceful or calming one, but rather one that is fraught with tension and anxiety. Whether interpreted as a metaphor for mental illness or a commentary on the experience of being a woman in a patriarchal society, the poem is a powerful and thought-provoking work that continues to resonate with readers today.

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