'Hornet' by Anne Sexton
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A red-hot needle
hangs out of him, he steers by it
as if it were a rudder, he
would get in the house any way he could
and then he would bounce from window
to ceiling, buzzing and looking for you.
Do not sleep for he is there wrapped in the curtain.
Do not sleep for he is there under the shelf.
Do not sleep for he wants to sew up your skin,
he want to leap into your body like a hammer
with a nail, do not sleep he wants to get into
your nose and make a transplant, he wants do not
sleep he wants to bury your fur and make
a nest of knives, he wants to slide under your
fingernail and push in a splinter, do not sleep
he wants to climb out of the toilet when you sit on it
and make a home in the embarrassed hair do not sleep
he wants you to walk into him as into a dark fire.
Submitted by Emily
Editor 1 Interpretation
"Hornet" by Anne Sexton: A Masterful Depiction of Inner Turmoil
As I read "Hornet" by Anne Sexton, I found myself drawn into a world of intense emotion and psychological turmoil. This classic poem, published in 1965 as part of Sexton's collection "All My Pretty Ones," is a haunting exploration of the human psyche, filled with vivid imagery, complex metaphor, and a deep sense of pain and desperation.
At its heart, "Hornet" is a poem about the struggle to come to terms with one's own inner demons. The speaker, who may be assumed to be Sexton herself, is tormented by a "hornet" that she cannot escape. This hornet is a powerful metaphor for the speaker's own internal struggles, representing the anxiety, self-doubt, and deep-seated fears that plague her mind.
Right from the opening lines of the poem, Sexton sets the tone for what is to come:
Naked,
he lies in the fox's den,
pointing his finger at his own wound,
his body twitching with the light pain of the flies.
These lines are hauntingly evocative, conjuring up an image of a wounded animal, vulnerable and exposed, writhing in pain. The hornet, we soon learn, is the source of this pain, and the speaker is unable to escape its torment:
His wings lay flat like ribbon
for he had been at the honey
and the pain has scorched his wings
and impaired his flight.
Here, the hornet is depicted as a creature that is both powerful and vulnerable. It has been weakened by its own pursuit of pleasure, and yet it still possesses the ability to inflict pain and suffering.
Throughout the poem, Sexton uses a range of powerful metaphors and images to explore the speaker's inner turmoil. For example, she compares the hornet to a "silver bullet," suggesting that it has the power to strike quickly and decisively, and that it is something that cannot be easily evaded or avoided.
he is a silver bullet
with a little powdered poison on his head
and I am naked
as a chicken neck.
This metaphor is particularly powerful because it suggests that the hornet is a force that is both deadly and inevitable, like a bullet fired from a gun. The speaker, in contrast, is depicted as being vulnerable and exposed, like the tender flesh of a chicken's neck.
Another powerful metaphor that Sexton uses in the poem is that of the "fox's den." This image suggests that the speaker is in a place of danger and vulnerability, trapped in a space that is not her own. The fox, which is a creature that is often seen as being cunning and dangerous, adds to the sense of danger and unease that permeates the poem.
Naked,
he lies in the fox's den,
pointing his finger at his own wound,
his body twitching with the light pain of the flies.
Here, the flies that are buzzing around the hornet's wound are a powerful metaphor for the speaker's own fears and anxieties. They are a constant reminder of the pain and suffering that she is experiencing, and they add to the sense of unease and discomfort that permeates the poem.
One of the most powerful aspects of "Hornet" is the way in which Sexton uses language to create a vivid and evocative world. The poem is filled with rich, sensory details that bring the speaker's world to life in powerful ways. For example, she describes the hornet's wings as being "flat like ribbon," which is a striking and memorable image.
Similarly, the description of the hornet's "powdered poison" is both vivid and powerful, conjuring up an image of a weapon that is both deadly and precise. And when the speaker describes herself as being "naked as a chicken neck," she creates a powerful image of vulnerability and exposure that is both evocative and unsettling.
As I read "Hornet," I found myself drawn into the speaker's world, feeling her pain and anxiety as if they were my own. This is a testament to Sexton's skill as a poet, and to her ability to create powerful, deeply affecting works of literature.
Overall, "Hornet" is a masterful exploration of the human psyche, filled with powerful metaphors, vivid imagery, and a deep sense of pain and desperation. It is a poem that speaks to the struggle that we all face when trying to come to terms with our own inner demons, and it is a testament to Sexton's skill as a poet that she is able to capture this struggle in such a powerful and affecting way.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Anne Sexton's poem "Hornet" is a haunting and powerful piece of literature that explores themes of fear, death, and the human condition. The poem is a perfect example of Sexton's unique style, which combines vivid imagery, raw emotion, and a deep understanding of the human psyche.
The poem begins with the speaker describing a hornet that has flown into her room. The hornet is described as "a black-bellied angel" with "a body like a section of pipe." The speaker is immediately struck by the hornet's beauty and power, but also by its potential danger. The hornet is a symbol of the unknown, of the things that we fear but cannot control.
As the poem progresses, the speaker becomes more and more obsessed with the hornet. She watches it as it flies around the room, admiring its grace and strength. But at the same time, she is filled with a sense of dread. She knows that the hornet could sting her at any moment, and that its venom could be deadly.
The hornet becomes a metaphor for the darker aspects of the human psyche. It represents the things that we try to ignore or suppress, but that always seem to be lurking just beneath the surface. The speaker is both fascinated and repelled by the hornet, just as we are both drawn to and afraid of our own inner demons.
The poem reaches its climax when the speaker decides to kill the hornet. She grabs a book and tries to swat it, but the hornet is too quick. It flies around the room, taunting her, until finally it lands on her hand. The speaker is filled with a sense of triumph as she crushes the hornet with her other hand. But at the same time, she is filled with a sense of guilt and regret. She knows that she has destroyed something beautiful and powerful, and that she can never get it back.
The final lines of the poem are some of the most powerful and haunting in all of literature. The speaker says, "I have killed something/so beautiful/that the sky would weep/over its small body." These lines are a reminder of the fragility of life, and of the fact that even the most powerful and beautiful things can be destroyed in an instant.
In conclusion, Anne Sexton's poem "Hornet" is a masterpiece of modern poetry. It explores themes of fear, death, and the human condition in a way that is both raw and beautiful. The hornet is a powerful symbol of the unknown, of the things that we fear but cannot control. The speaker's obsession with the hornet is a metaphor for our own inner demons, and the final lines of the poem are a reminder of the fragility of life. This poem is a must-read for anyone who loves poetry, and it will stay with you long after you have finished reading it.
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