Gold Mouths Cry by Sylvia Plath Structure and Form

Gold mouths cry with the green young
certainty of the bronze boy
remembering a thousand autumns
and how a hundred thousand leaves
came sliding down his shoulder blades
persuaded by his bronze heroic reason.
We ignore the coming doom of gold
and we are glad in this bright metal season.
Even the dead laugh among the goldenrod.

The bronze boy stands kneedeep in centuries,
and never grieves,
remembering a thousand autumns,
with sunlight of a thousand years upon his lips
and his eyes gone blind with leaves.

Structure:

Stanzas: The poem is divided into two stanzas. The first stanza consists of eight lines, and the second stanza comprises six lines. This division into stanzas helps organize the content and gives a visual structure to the poem.

Line Length: The lines vary in length throughout the poem, contributing to a rhythmic and flowing quality. The variation in line length adds a dynamic element, preventing the poem from becoming monotonous and enhancing its musicality.

Enjambment: Plath frequently uses enjambment, where a sentence or clause runs from one line to the next without a syntactic break. This technique creates a sense of continuity and fluidity in the poem, allowing ideas to seamlessly flow from one line to the next.

Form:

Free Verse: “Gold Mouths Cry” follows a free verse form, lacking a regular rhyme scheme or metrical pattern. This absence of strict form contributes to the poem’s organic and natural feel, allowing the poet greater flexibility in expressing ideas.

Imagery and Symbolism: The poem’s form is deeply tied to its rich imagery and symbolism. The use of vivid and evocative language paints a picture for the reader, emphasizing the thematic elements related to memory, nature, and the passage of time.

Repetition: The repetition of the phrase “remembering a thousand autumns” in both stanzas serves as a structural device. This repetition emphasizes the central theme of memory and the enduring nature of the bronze boy’s recollections, providing a cohesive thread that runs through the poem.

Contrast and Paradox: The poem’s form allows for the effective presentation of contrasts and paradoxes. The juxtaposition of “gold mouths cry” and the “bright metal season” against the “coming doom of gold” creates a tension that adds depth to the thematic exploration.

Symbolic Closure: The concluding lines, “with sunlight of a thousand years upon his lips / and his eyes gone blind with leaves,” bring a symbolic closure to the poem. The juxtaposition of sunlight and blindness encapsulates the complex relationship between wisdom gained through time and the potential obscurity it may bring.

In summary, “Gold Mouths Cry” is crafted with a free verse structure, utilizing variations in line length, enjambment, and repetition to enhance the thematic elements. The poem’s form complements its rich imagery and symbolism, allowing for a nuanced exploration of memory, time, and the interconnectedness of life and nature.