Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Anne Sexton's poem "Knee Song" is a lyrical exploration of intimacy, sensuality, and the delicate dance between vulnerability and desire. The poem captures a fleeting yet intense moment of connection, using the act of being kissed on the back of the knee as a central metaphor for the delicate and almost secretive nature of intimate experiences.

The poem opens with the image of a kiss on the back of the knee, immediately drawing the reader into a private, tender moment. This kiss is likened to "a moth at the windowscreen," suggesting something small, delicate, and almost ephemeral. The moth, often drawn to light yet kept at a distance by the screen, symbolizes a desire that is both close and unreachable, an intimate gesture that hovers on the edge of deeper connection.

Sexton continues to layer the poem with images that blend the ordinary with the magical. The "dot on the fathometer" becomes "Tinkerbelle with her cough," an image that brings together the precise, scientific measurement of depth with the whimsical, fairy-tale character who symbolizes the fragility of belief and existence. This juxtaposition underscores the complex nature of intimacy—simultaneously measurable and immeasurable, grounded in reality yet filled with fantasy.

The repetition of "yes" throughout the poem emphasizes a sense of affirmation and surrender. It is a repeated consent to the moment, a recognition of the powerful pull of desire. The "two little snails at the back / of the knee building bonfires" presents an image of slow, deliberate movement leading to a spark of passion. Snails, often associated with patience and persistence, build "bonfires," suggesting that even the smallest gestures can ignite intense emotions. The contrast between the slow movement of snails and the sudden flare of a bonfire highlights the tension between gradual buildup and the explosive release of desire.

The poem also explores the idea of honor and its relinquishment in the face of passion. Sexton writes, "twice I will give up my / honor," suggesting a willing abandonment of societal or personal boundaries for the sake of intimacy. This surrender is not portrayed as a loss but as a necessary step towards a more profound experience. The "stars will stick / like tacks in the night," an image that conveys both the permanence and the pain of these moments. The stars, symbols of hope and guidance, are pinned in place by the intensity of the experience, yet their sharpness suggests that such moments are not without their consequences.

Sexton concludes the poem with a return to the small, intimate images that began it: "yes yes yes small / and me maker." The repetition of "yes" here feels like a final, breathless acceptance of the moment, while "small / and me maker" encapsulates the dual nature of intimacy—how something so small, like a kiss on the back of the knee, can be a powerful act of creation. The "maker" here can be interpreted as both the lover and the beloved, as well as the act of love itself, which creates something new and meaningful out of the smallest gestures.

"Knee Song" is a celebration of the small, intimate moments that define human connection. Sexton uses rich, layered imagery to convey the complexity of desire, the tension between vulnerability and surrender, and the transformative power of love. Through her exploration of these themes, she captures the essence of intimacy—how it is both fragile and powerful, fleeting yet enduring, and always deeply personal.

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