Alicante Lullaby by Sylvia Plath Summary

In Alicante they bowl the barrels
Bumblingly over the nubs of the cobbles
Past the yellow-paella eateries,
Below the ramshackle back-alley balconies,
While the cocks and hens
In the roofgardens
Scuttle repose with crowns and cackles.

Kumquat-colored trolleys ding as they trundle
Passengers under an indigo fizzle
Needling spumily down from the wires:
Alongside the sibliant narhor the lovers
Hear loudspeakers boom
From each neon-lit palm
Rumbas and sambas no ear-flaps can muffle.

O Cacophony, goddess of jazz and of quarrels,
Crack-throated mistress of bagpipes and cymbals,
Let be your con brios, your capricciosos,
Crescendos, cadenzas, prestos and pretissimos,
My head on the pillow
(Piano, pianissimo)
Lullayed by susurrous lyres and viols.

“Alicante Lullaby” by Sylvia Plath is a vivid and lively poem that paints a bustling scene in Alicante, a city in Spain. The poet takes the reader on a sensory journey through the streets, capturing the sights, sounds, and rhythms of the vibrant surroundings.

The poem begins with a description of barrels being clumsily rolled over the cobbled streets of Alicante. The poet sets the scene with a playful tone, using words like “bumblingly” to convey a sense of movement and activity. The barrels traverse the nubs of the cobbles, creating a rhythmic and percussive sound that echoes through the city.

As the poem unfolds, the poet introduces more elements of the setting, including yellow-paella eateries and ramshackle back-alley balconies. The imagery evokes a sense of a lively and colorful atmosphere, characteristic of the Spanish culture. The poet also mentions the presence of cocks and hens in roofgardens, adding a touch of whimsy to the scene as they “scuttle repose with crowns and cackles.”

The second stanza introduces kumquat-colored trolleys, which ding as they trundle passengers under an indigo fizzle. The poet employs vibrant and sensory language to describe the surroundings, creating a lively and dynamic atmosphere. The mention of loudspeakers booming with rumbas and sambas adds a musical dimension to the scene, enhancing the overall sensory experience.

The poem personifies the cacophony of sounds as “O Cacophony, goddess of jazz and of quarrels.” This personification adds a playful and whimsical element to the poem, as if the lively sounds of the city are controlled by a mischievous deity. The goddess is described as a “Crack-throated mistress of bagpipes and cymbals,” further emphasizing the diverse and energetic nature of the soundscape.

The poet then makes a plea to the goddess of cacophony, asking her to let the various musical elements be. The use of musical terms such as “con brios,” “capricciosos,” “crescendos,” and “cadenzas” adds a musicality to the language and reinforces the theme of the vibrant and varied sounds of the city.

The final lines of the poem bring a sense of tranquility as the poet describes lying on a pillow, lullayed by susurrous lyres and viols. The contrast between the lively and chaotic sounds of the city and the soothing lullaby at the end creates a sense of balance and resolution.

“Alicante Lullaby” is a celebration of the lively and colorful atmosphere of Alicante, with its bustling streets, vibrant sounds, and playful imagery. The poem captures the essence of the city’s energy while also acknowledging the need for moments of tranquility and repose. Plath’s skillful use of language and imagery brings the scene to life, making it a delightful and engaging poem.