“Sestina” Elizabeth Bishop

Form Highly structured – 39 Line Poem 6 stanzas with 6 lines in each Concluded with an ENVOY – 3 line stanza at the end This complicated, restrictive structure attempts to put order on her childhood

Mood Cosy & Secure at the beginning Sorrowful, grief-stricken, melancholy Repetition of ‘tears’ ‘laughing…to hide her tears’ Cosy & Secure at the beginning Sense of hope at the end – ‘time to plant tears’

Question Grief or sorrow are not directly expressed in this poem but there is an underlying atmosphere that is painfully emotional. Discuss.

The laughing and joking is overshadowed by a more disturbing tone Stanza One The laughing and joking is overshadowed by a more disturbing tone ‘September Rain’ ‘failing light’ 'hiding tears’ Cosy and secure at first but this gives way to an underlying sense of grief and worry Sadness & melancholy is layered onto the scene with these details – how?

Stanza Two Personification There is a sense of inevitability and resignation from the grandmother ‘foretold by the almanac, but only known by a grandmother’ Homely domesticity – a sense that life must go on regardless The grandmother ‘cuts some bread’ while ‘the iron kettle sings’ Personification

Stanza Three & Four Personification Stanza 3: The child in the poem sees sorrow and grief in everything ‘watching the teakettles small hard tears dance like mad’ Stanza 4: The sinister presence of the almanac – a bird of ill-omen ‘Teacup full of dark brown tears’ Personification What is the significance of the word ‘mad’?

Stanza Five Personification ‘It was to be, says the Marvel Stove’ There is a sense of inevitability again ‘It was to be, says the Marvel Stove’ Just as Bishop uses a sestina, to structure her childhood so too does the child by drawing ‘a rigid house’ ‘a winding pathway’ may seek to represent Bishop’s struggle to find a home Personification

Stanza Six Fantasy and reality are indistinguishable – what does this represent? Innocence, childlike naivety? Trying to make sense of what has happened The child FEELS but does not fully UNDERSTAND what has happened What does the ‘flower bed represent?

Envoy Is the time for regret and tears over? Contains all six key words? But the almanac instructs – ‘Time to plant tears’ Is the time for regret and tears over? Are these tears planted so they will grow and become stonger in the future? ‘The child draws another inscrutable house’ – The secrecy and unknowing continues for now. The future seems rather bleak

Exam Question ‘In her poetry Bishop takes her readers on an emotional journey.’ To what extent do you agree with this statement? Support your answer with reference to her work.