Gold Mouths Cry by Sylvia Plath Summary

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.

“Gold Mouths Cry” by Sylvia Plath is a poignant poem that captures the essence of time, memory, and the inevitable passage of life. The poem uses vivid imagery to convey a sense of both beauty and melancholy. In simple terms, it speaks about the cyclical nature of seasons, the resilience of memory, and the acceptance of mortality.

The title, “Gold Mouths Cry,” suggests a paradoxical image of something precious shedding tears. The opening lines describe golden mouths crying alongside the vibrant green youth. This imagery evokes a feeling of beauty and vitality, where the certainty of a young bronze boy becomes a central focus.

The bronze boy, symbolizing enduring strength and resilience, remembers a multitude of autumns. These autumns are portrayed as a cascade of leaves sliding down his shoulder blades. The leaves, influenced by the boy’s heroic reason, symbolize the passage of time and the inevitability of change. Despite the impending doom associated with gold, the poem suggests a sense of joy and contentment in the present, especially during the bright metal season.

The mention of the dead laughing among the goldenrod introduces a sense of continuity beyond life. The goldenrod, a yellow wildflower often associated with autumn, becomes a backdrop for laughter and mirth, even in death. This image reinforces the idea that life is interconnected with nature and transcends beyond the boundaries of mortality.

The bronze boy is portrayed as standing knee-deep in centuries, suggesting that he is rooted in the past, surrounded by the weight of time. However, he remains unburdened by grief, showcasing a remarkable resilience. The repetition of remembering a thousand autumns emphasizes the enduring power of memory, which becomes a source of strength for the bronze boy.

The sunlight of a thousand years upon his lips symbolizes the accumulation of wisdom and experiences over time. The blindness in his eyes caused by leaves represents a kind of blindness to the present moment, as he is consumed by the memories and lessons of the past. This paradoxical imagery suggests that while memories provide insight, they can also obscure the clarity of the present.

In summary, “Gold Mouths Cry” is a reflective poem that explores the cyclical nature of life, the beauty of memories, and the acceptance of mortality. Through vivid imagery and symbolism, Sylvia Plath crafts a narrative that captures the essence of time’s passage and the interconnectedness of life and nature. The bronze boy stands as a resilient figure, embracing the past without succumbing to grief, while the goldenrod and laughter of the dead highlight the enduring joy that transcends even in the face of death.