“mirror” by Sylvia Plath
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When I first read this poem it did nothing for me, but as the days passed I decided to give it another chance and when I re-read it I began to cry, literally cry. I felt like it was speaking to me and saying everything I wouldnt dare say. I guess there is always a poem like that for everyone, one that touches the heart. Sylvia Plath an American, beautiful, talented poet created such masterpieces in her time. Unfortunately Sylvia Plath committed suicide on February 11, 1963. The reason for her tragic death remains a mystery, but there are speculations that it was the outcome of her divorce and loneliness. Though she no longer lives, her poems live on and once in a while touch the hearts of those in need of a voice.
The “Mirror” by Sylvia Plath is a deep poem that comes of soft, but when reading in between the lines one can almost feel the anger and unhappiness jump out of the page. The poem begins with the first sentence,
“I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions. Whatever I see, I swallow immediately.”
Here the writer is expressing how she has no voice and takes whatever is thrown at her. The words “Silver and exact” almost seem sarcastic yet it helps the reader create a picture of something perfect yet delicate. With this we can almost feel the writer and her desperation of wanting to show who she really is. The writer begins with this poem as if wanting to convince someone. For example when we want to convince someone of ourselves we tend to start of with good things and make ourselves seem extremely amazing and yet human.
“Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike I am not cruel, only truthful – ”
Once again the writer is justifying why she is who she is. She explains she is blinded by love and does not see anything wrong even if it is. Almost saying why are you acting like this with me? I am not mean or a liar. The poem began softly, but this is when it begins to build up to an angrier voice.
“The eye of a little god, four-cornered. Most of the time I meditate on the opposite wall. It is pink, with speckles. I have looked at it so long
I think it is a part of my heart. But it flickers.”
The writer here is I believe is describing a man or someone with authority just because of the word she chose, “God” which in many ways brings the image of power. The writer also says how she tries to give the other side a chance, but somehow the side looks pretty and has become such a huge part of her that she cant separate from it. What really caught my attention was this part, “But it flickers”. This caught my attention because when I read flicker I thought of a light bulb about to burn out, which might symbolize this loves close end point.
“Faces and darkness separate us over and over.”
The tone of the poem shifts back to a softer voice and explains that its no longer pretty and that they are continually being separated, both no longer on the same team. The writers voice seems sad and tiered.
“Now I am a lake. A woman bends over me. Searching my reaches for what she is. Then she turns to those liars, candles or the moon.”
I love this part because the lake is being used as a metaphor of a mirror. This is the character searching