'Music Swims Back To Me' by Anne Sexton


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Wait Mister. Which way is home?
They turned the light out
and the dark is moving in the corner.
There are no sign posts in this room,
four ladies, over eighty,
in diapers every one of them.
La la la, Oh music swims back to me
and I can feel the tune they played
the night they left me
in this private institution on a hill.

Imagine it. A radio playing
and everyone here was crazy.
I liked it and danced in a circle.
Music pours over the sense
and in a funny way
music sees more than I.
I mean it remembers better;
remembers the first night here.
It was the strangled cold of November;
even the stars were strapped in the sky
and that moon too bright
forking through the bars to stick me
with a singing in the head.
I have forgotten all the rest.

They lock me in this chair at eight a.m.
and there are no signs to tell the way,
just the radio beating to itself
and the song that remembers
more than I. Oh, la la la,
this music swims back to me.
The night I came I danced a circle
and was not afraid.
Mister?

Editor 1 Interpretation

Music Swims Back To Me: An In-Depth Literary Criticism

Introduction

When it comes to confessional poetry, Anne Sexton is a name that is synonymous with the genre. Her work is raw, unapologetic, and often uncomfortable to read. In her poem, "Music Swims Back To Me," she explores the theme of memory and how it can transport us back to a moment in time.

Throughout her career, Sexton was known for her ability to evoke emotion in her readers. And "Music Swims Back To Me" is no different. This poem takes us on a journey through Sexton's memories, using music as the vehicle. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we'll take a closer look at the poem, examining its themes, imagery, and structure, and try to understand what Sexton was trying to convey.

Themes

At its core, "Music Swims Back To Me" is a poem about memory. Sexton uses music as a way to transport her back to significant moments in her life. The poem is also about the power of music and its ability to evoke emotions in us. At one point, Sexton writes, "I am the same woman, / naked as an ear." This line is significant because it shows how vulnerable music can make us feel. It strips away our defenses and exposes us for who we really are.

Another theme that runs throughout the poem is the idea of mortality. Sexton writes about how the music reminds her of people who are no longer alive. This is especially true when she writes about her mother, who died when Sexton was young. The music brings back memories of her mother and the pain of her loss.

The theme of loss is also present in the poem. Sexton writes about how the music reminds her of moments that she can never get back. The memories are bittersweet, and the realization that those moments are gone forever is heartbreaking.

Imagery

One of the things that makes "Music Swims Back To Me" such a powerful poem is the vivid imagery that Sexton uses. From the very first line, we are transported to a specific moment in time. Sexton writes, "Backwards, / in little fish-like lurches, / music is snapping at my nerve ends." This description of the music and the way it affects her is so vivid that we can almost feel it ourselves.

Sexton also uses imagery to describe the memories that the music evokes. For example, when she writes about her mother, she says, "I can see her toes / curling up like fists / under her nightgown." This imagery is so specific that it makes the memory feel real and tangible.

Structure

"Music Swims Back To Me" is a free-verse poem that is broken up into four stanzas. Each stanza is comprised of four lines, with the exception of the final stanza which has five lines. The short, compact structure of the poem helps to create a sense of urgency and immediacy. Each line feels like it is bursting with emotion.

The poem also has a musical quality to it. This is fitting since the poem is about music. The rhythm and flow of the words mimic the rhythm and flow of music. Sexton's use of repetition also adds to the musicality of the poem. For example, the phrase "music swims back to me" is repeated three times throughout the poem. This repetition helps to reinforce the central theme of the poem.

Interpretation

At its core, "Music Swims Back To Me" is a poem about the power of memory and the way that music can transport us back to specific moments in time. Sexton writes about the emotions that the music evokes and the way that it can make us feel vulnerable and exposed.

The poem is also about loss and the realization that certain moments in our lives are gone forever. Sexton writes about her mother and the pain of her loss, as well as other moments in her life that she can never get back.

Overall, "Music Swims Back To Me" is a powerful and emotional poem that showcases Anne Sexton's talent as a confessional poet. The vivid imagery and musical structure of the poem help to create a sense of urgency and immediacy, making it feel as though we are experiencing the emotions right along with Sexton.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Music Swims Back To Me: A Poem of Reawakening

Anne Sexton’s poem “Music Swims Back to Me” is a powerful and evocative piece that explores the transformative power of music. Through vivid imagery and a deeply personal narrative, Sexton takes the reader on a journey of rediscovery and reawakening, as she reconnects with the music that has been absent from her life for too long.

At its core, “Music Swims Back to Me” is a poem about the power of art to heal and transform. Sexton begins by describing the absence of music in her life, using stark and vivid imagery to convey the emptiness she feels:

“Wait Mister. Which way is home? They turned the light out and the dark is moving in the corner. There are no signposts in this room, four ladies, over eighty, in diapers every one of them.”

This opening stanza sets the tone for the rest of the poem, establishing a sense of disorientation and confusion that will be gradually overcome as Sexton reconnects with the music that has been missing from her life. The image of the “four ladies, over eighty, in diapers every one of them” is particularly striking, conveying a sense of vulnerability and helplessness that is echoed throughout the poem.

As the poem progresses, Sexton begins to explore the power of music to transcend these limitations and bring her back to life. She describes the way that music “swims back to me / like the sea” and how it “fills me up and slides away / like rain.” These images are both powerful and evocative, conveying a sense of the fluidity and transformative power of music.

Throughout the poem, Sexton uses a variety of different musical metaphors to explore the way that music can transform and heal. She describes the way that music “comes in on the tide / and leaves a gift on the shore” and how it “comes in the mail / like a letter telling you your father is dead.” These metaphors are both powerful and poignant, conveying a sense of the emotional impact that music can have on our lives.

One of the most striking aspects of “Music Swims Back to Me” is the way that Sexton uses her own personal narrative to explore the transformative power of music. She describes the way that she used to play the piano as a child, and how she stopped playing as she grew older. She writes:

“I used to play it all the time, so much that my mother would say, “Don’t play that thing anymore. It’s like all your other toys. You’ve played the life out of it.”

This passage is particularly poignant, as it conveys a sense of loss and regret that is echoed throughout the poem. Sexton’s decision to stop playing the piano is presented as a turning point in her life, a moment when she lost touch with something essential and transformative.

As the poem progresses, Sexton begins to reconnect with the music that has been missing from her life. She describes the way that music “comes back to me / in the late afternoon” and how it “fills me up and slides away / like rain.” These images are both powerful and evocative, conveying a sense of the emotional impact that music can have on our lives.

Ultimately, “Music Swims Back to Me” is a poem about the power of art to transform and heal. Through vivid imagery and a deeply personal narrative, Sexton explores the way that music can bring us back to life, even in the darkest of times. As she writes:

“Music swims back to me when I love you. It jumps like a seal in the moonlit night when I am almost able to touch you.”

This final stanza is both beautiful and haunting, conveying a sense of the transformative power of love and music. In the end, “Music Swims Back to Me” is a powerful reminder of the way that art can heal and transform, even in the darkest of times.

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