Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "March 7th," Anne Sexton personifies the creative block as a "big toad" that invades her writing space, embodying the stifling force that hinders her ability to create. The poem opens with a seemingly hopeful statement—"The day is favorable for creative work"—which immediately contrasts with the presence of the toad, symbolizing a force that opposes this potential for creativity. The toad, a figure both grotesque and obstructive, dominates the scene, casting a shadow over the speaker's creative environment.

Sexton describes herself as a "flower" that dries out under the toad's oppressive influence, a metaphor that captures the fragility of the creative process. The toad's "hot breath" is destructive, not nurturing, and instead of fostering growth, it withers the speaker's creative energy. The imagery of the toad "blowing grass through her hands" and "knitting up a womb" evokes a strange, unsettling sense of fertility—a twisted version of creation that contrasts sharply with the speaker's own stifled creativity. The toad's actions, while productive in their own right, are grotesque and invasive, further emphasizing the speaker's sense of frustration and impotence.

The reference to the toad's breath "tarnishing up my silver and my brass" deepens the sense of decay and corrosion. Silver and brass, often symbols of value and durability, are here rendered dull and lifeless by the toad's presence. This image suggests that the creative block is not only preventing new work from being created but is also diminishing the value of what already exists.

The poem takes a sharp turn with the speaker's direct address to the toad, questioning its origins and purpose. The toad is imagined as a "grunting left-over squaw," an "asthmatic Asia," and a "mother-in-law"—each image loaded with negative connotations. The "grunting left-over squaw" evokes a sense of something discarded and unwanted, while "asthmatic Asia" and "mother-in-law" carry connotations of suffocation and intrusive, overbearing presence. These comparisons suggest that the toad is not just an external force but perhaps an internalized one, reflecting the speaker's own insecurities, anxieties, or societal pressures that inhibit her creative expression.

Sexton's use of these loaded images highlights the complexity of the creative block, portraying it as a multifaceted force that is both external and internal, real and imagined. The toad becomes a symbol of the myriad forces—psychological, cultural, and personal—that can conspire to stifle creativity and prevent the artist from realizing her full potential.

In the end, "March 7th" captures the tension between the desire to create and the obstacles that so often stand in the way. The poem is a powerful exploration of the frustrations inherent in the creative process, as well as a reflection on the ways in which external and internal forces can inhibit artistic expression. Through the figure of the toad, Sexton gives form to the intangible, making the creative block a tangible, almost physical presence that the speaker must confront and overcome.

Copyright (c) 2024 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...