Reading Response off the poem “The Starry Night” by Anne Sexton

Response off poem: “The Starry Night” by Anne Sexton

The painting Starry Night, drawn by Vincent Van Gogh, is a beautiful piece of artwork. The brush strokes form together to create a swirling wind pattern in the sky; the moon and the stars glow bright with yellow paint; the tree and the town below the sky feels warm and inviting. The poem “The Starry Night” by Anne Sexton relates to the artwork by Vincent Van Gogh. It is inspired by the art and captures the essence of the painting. The speaker, who amazingly describes the art, wants to die without any restraint or ties. This is because the speaker repeats the line “This is how/ I want to die” (Sexton 5-6 and 11-12).

            The speaker in the poem mentions dead people in the 1^st stanza, which relates to the speakers want of death. The speaker talks about a drowned woman in the sky which might relate to the repeating line. For example, “up like a drowned woman in the hot sky” (Sexton 3). This quote proves that the speaker envisions a drowned woman in the sky. The sky in the painting is the main focus, but when s/he looks at the beautiful sky, s/he sees death.

            The speaker looks at the wind and the stars in the painting and sees a peaceful death. The speaker seems to look at the starry night painting and see not the wind, but a serpent that is eating the stars. It may sound strange, but the serpent is killing the stars. For example, “The old unseen serpent swallows up the stars” (Sexton 10). This excerpt shows how even wind from the painting looks like a monster to the speaker. However, the author does not say it in a menacing way, instead it seems like an observation of a peaceful night and a nice time to die.

            The speaker thinks that in the moment they are in, it would be a nice time to die. In the last stanza, the speaker explains the way she wants to die. For instance, “…to split/ from my life with no flag/ no belly/ no cry” (Sexton 14-17) This quote proves that the speaker wants to die in that moment, when s/he has “no flag” which can be evaluated into meaning no country or ties holding s/he back. The second line, “no belly” can mean no needs, such as hunger. The last line, “no cry” can mean no complaints. The speaker thinks that the moment in the painting would be a nice way or place to die.

            After reading this poem, I have learned to look at the painting it is inspired by differently. I no longer see just a landscape, but all of the tiny important details that can be so much more. This text connects to the world because there are many moments in life that are amazing. Many people can think of just one moment that they would like to live over and over before they die. I think the author used this prompt/idea to write the poem.

Works cited

Sexton, Emily. “The Starry Night.” Print.