Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In Anne Sexton’s "Love Song for K. Owyne," the reference to "Kemp Owyne" alludes to the traditional Scottish ballad "Kemp Owyne," where a hero rescues a maiden cursed into serpent form by a witch. The hero's bravery and actions lead to the maiden's restoration, symbolizing themes of transformation, rescue, and the power of love. In Sexton’s poem, this allusion enriches the complex dynamics of love, portraying it as both redemptive and destructive. The poem intertwines elements of danger, salvation, and the dual nature of love that can both heal and harm.

Sexton’s use of "K. Owyne" invokes a parallel between the traditional hero’s journey and the personal, emotional journey of the speaker and her lover. The love described in the poem is tumultuous, as reflected in the vivid imagery of waves "running up the stairs" and the "nervous trees in Birnam wood" creeping up on Macbeth. These images suggest an impending doom or danger that the speaker must confront, much like Kemp Owyne facing the serpent. The lover, "K. Owyne," is depicted as both savior and destroyer, embodying the complexities of intimate relationships where love can simultaneously rescue and suffocate.

The allusion to the ballad serves to deepen the poem's exploration of transformation—both physical and emotional. Just as Kemp Owyne transforms the serpent back into a maiden, the speaker’s love for "K. Owyne" transforms her, albeit with a sense of loss and displacement. The poem speaks to the luxury of their initial love, which eventually gives way to tension and conflict, as seen in the lines, "What luxury we first checked into, / to growl like lawyers until I threw / my diamonds and cash upon the floor." The intensity of their love is palpable, but it also carries an undercurrent of destruction, culminating in a sense of resignation and the realization of the room "having hurt us" now being "ours."

Sexton’s frequent use of mythological and literary references in her work allows her to delve into the darker aspects of human experience, particularly in relation to love, identity, and death. The invocation of Kemp Owyne in this poem underscores the idea of love as a force that is both potent and perilous. It is a love that requires the speaker to confront her own vulnerabilities and the transformative power of her relationship, much like the hero who must confront the serpent to restore the maiden.

In this way, "Love Song for K. Owyne" becomes a reflection on the dual nature of love—its ability to rescue and redeem, but also to wound and destroy. The poem is a meditation on the complexity of intimate relationships, where love is not a simple, nurturing force, but one that demands sacrifice, confrontation, and ultimately, transformation. The allusion to Kemp Owyne amplifies these themes, casting the speaker and her lover as both participants in and victims of their own love story, much like the hero and the maiden in the ancient ballad.

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