Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Anne Sexton’s "Song for a Lady" is a sensual and intimate exploration of love, desire, and the complexities of a romantic relationship. The poem oscillates between moments of tenderness and intensity, capturing the dual nature of love as both a nurturing and consuming force. Sexton uses vivid imagery and rhythmic language to convey the physical and emotional connection between the speaker and their lover, creating a powerful portrait of intimacy that is both personal and universal.

The poem opens with a focus on the physical attributes of the lover, "On the day of breasts and small hips," immediately drawing attention to the body as a site of desire and affection. The mention of the "window pocked with bad rain" sets a mood of melancholy and isolation, contrasting with the warmth and closeness of the lovers’ embrace. The rain is personified, "coming on like a minister," suggesting a sense of inevitability and solemnity, as if the act of coupling is both a sacred and transgressive ritual.

Sexton’s use of the words "sane and insane" to describe the coupling highlights the paradoxical nature of love, which can be both rational and irrational, controlled and wild. The lovers "lay like spoons," a simile that evokes a sense of comfort and harmony, while the "sinister rain" that "dropped like flies on our lips" introduces an element of danger or foreboding. This duality is a recurring theme in Sexton’s work, where love is often depicted as a force that is both life-affirming and destructive.

The line "The room is so cold with rain," spoken by the lover, adds to the atmosphere of bleakness and discomfort, yet this coldness is countered by the warmth of the physical connection between the two. The speaker addresses their lover with a mixture of reverence and possessiveness, referring to them as "feminine you, with your flower," a metaphor that emphasizes the lover’s femininity and delicacy. The phrase "said novenas to my ankles and elbows" suggests a kind of worship or adoration, with the lover’s touch being likened to a prayer or ritual.

Sexton’s imagery becomes more complex and layered as the poem progresses. The lover is described as a "national product and power," which could be interpreted as a comment on the societal expectations placed on women, or as a recognition of the lover’s influence and significance in the speaker’s life. The juxtaposition of "swan" and "drudge" in the phrase "Oh my swan, my drudge, my dear wooly rose" encapsulates the tension between the idealization of the lover and the reality of the relationship. The swan symbolizes grace and beauty, while the drudge represents labor and weariness, suggesting that love requires both admiration and effort.

The poem concludes with a striking image of transformation: "even a notary would notarize our bed / as you knead me and I rise like bread." The act of kneading and rising evokes the process of making bread, a symbol of sustenance and creation, and reflects the idea that love, like bread, requires time, care, and patience to develop. The mention of a notary, a figure associated with legality and formality, adds an unexpected twist, as if to suggest that the love between the speaker and their lover is so profound and significant that it could be officially recognized or documented.

"Song for a Lady" is a poem that delves into the intricacies of love, blending physical desire with emotional depth. Through her use of rich, tactile imagery and the interplay of contrasting elements, Anne Sexton captures the beauty and complexity of intimacy, portraying love as a multifaceted experience that is both tender and tumultuous, sacred and earthly. The poem invites readers to reflect on their own experiences of love, challenging them to embrace the contradictions and uncertainties that come with it.

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