A little something different for a Spring weekend, whatever the weather?
Sylvia Plath’s Mad Girl’s Love Song is one of my favorite poems from my teenage years. Recently, something reminded me of the words, “I think I made you up inside my head,” and I found myself searching out this classic example of the villanelle form.
National What Month?
Besides, April is National Poetry Month. Shouldn’t we celebrate with verse?
This poem was written by Plath while still attending Smith College in 1951. It was published in 1953. Read it, then read it again. It is surprisingly rich, sonorous, and captivating with the innocence that comes with young love.
Take a peek at a few more examples of the gorgeous (and challenging) villanelle form. Then enjoy a tribute to the sentiments of Plath’s words (yes – mad, crazy, passionate love), from Anna Eriksson.
And yes – keep reading after the poem. I’ve included a little light entertainment – perverse verse and silly sonnets – compliments of… well, you know.
Bon Weekend!
Mad Girl’s Love Song
by Sylvia Plath
“I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead;
I lift my lids and all is born again.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)
The stars go waltzing out in blue and red,
And arbitrary blackness gallops in:
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.
I dreamed that you bewitched me into bed
And sung me moon-struck, kissed me quite insane.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)
God topples from the sky, hell’s fires fade:
Exit seraphim and Satan’s men:
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.
I fancied you’d return the way you said,
But I grow old and I forget your name.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)
I should have loved a thunderbird instead;
At least when spring comes they roar back again.
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)”
Still image from Anna Eriksson’s Youtube love song. Click to listen!
For your amusement (with your K and coffee):
- Breakfast Foods, Departing Broods
- Sudden Outbreak of Rhymatoid ArtWriteUs
- K and Coffee, Midnight Weary
I like poetry, I really do. But I’m more of a:
Haiku’s are easy
But sometimes they don’t make sense
Refrigerator.
Kinda guy. ;O)
Lovely! I had never heard this poem before. And it fits perfectly with the recent conversations between I and my youngest daughter just this week. Having daughters is tough.
thank you for this!
Sometimes that’s the best feeling in the world: closing your eyes and shutting out the world … and knowing you can open them again and the agonizing, depressing, stressful, and glorious cacophony will still be there.
Thanks for sharing the poem BLW! I am sad to say it is poem that I wasn’t familiar with. I loved it.