Analysis of Poem Morning Song by Sylvia Plath

Sylvia Plath uses imagery to convey intimate details about motherhood in her poem, "Morning Song". The poem paints a vivid picture of what a woman may face during motherhood for the first time.  In the beginning, the baby comes into the world screaming and  Sylvia details the experiences of a mother faced with the emotions and circumstances of parenting.

The poem is filled with clear vivid imagery that taps into hearing, sight, feelings, and mind. As the story takes place, the speaker states  “the midwife slapped your foot soles and your bald cry” (Plath 2). This gives readers the image that the baby has just arrived and it’s coming into consciousness with a slap on the foot.  Furthermore, the speaker states “love setting you going like a fat gold watch” (Plath 1). Having a gold watch is one of the most amazing things for most people. So, it creates imagery through a feeling and uses descriptive words so that readers can connect to her exciting feelings. As the poem continues, the speaker mentions, “than the cloud that distills a mirror to reflect its own slow Effacement at the wind’s hand” (Plath 8-9).  The clouds' imagery symbolizes the fleeting nature of youth. The mother also contemplates the child’s journey by stating “a far sea moves in my ear” (Plath 12).  This enlightens readers' senses and forces readers to see the concept of their own child flying the nest. Lastly, Plath creates imagery by stating “the clear vowels rise like balloons” (Plath 18).  The imagery of the rising balloons brings awareness to the mother that her child’s time is escaping her. Adding, the baby attempts its “handful of notes” implying that it is a singer with no experience and the speaker says “vowels rise like balloons” (Plath 17-18).  The simile connects the visual and auditory senses as if the baby is a kind of poet, turning sound into images. As the baby enters the world, the mother states, “In a drafty museum, your nakedness shadows our safety. We stand round blankly as walls” (Plath 5-6). The speaker is imagining the baby in a museum casting a shadow over people who are admiring it. But, no one is celebrating, the “admiring” people seem shocked. 

The poem initiates a first-time mother’s experiences as she begins to explain her very detailed birthing process and her feelings. According to Zimbakova, the poems crave for translation as a means of their resurrection, and unraveling of the powerful emotional input and imagery (Zimbakova 298-309)”. The power of the emotional connection between mother and child unravels as the speaker creates a vivid mental picture of the scene and by comparing the baby to objects. Also,” the power of the emotional connection between mother and child unravels as the speaker creates a vivid mental picture of the scene and by comparing the baby to objects (Keyes 1-3)”. Both of these quotes intensity the fact that Syliva uses her emotions to highlight the theme of motherhood by creating imagery throughout the poem.

The speaker of the poem depicts the theme of motherhood as she uses vivid imagery. Sylvia expresses intimate details in a way the readers can use their senses to picture her experience. Motherhood is brought to light as the speaker describes her experience in the hospital, the baby growing older and time winding down.