In the marketplace they are piling the dry sticks.
A thicket of shadows is a poor coat. I inhabit
The wax image of myself, a doll’s body.
Sickness begins here: I am the dartboard for witches.
Only the devil can eat the devil out.
In the month of red leaves I climb to a bed of fire.

It is easy to blame the dark: the mouth of a door,
The cellar’s belly. They’ve blown my sparkler out.
A black-sharded lady keeps me in parrot cage.
What large eyes the dead have!
I am intimate with a hairy spirit.
Smoke wheels from the beak of this empty jar.

If I am a little one, I can do no harm.
If I don’t move about, I’ll knock nothing over. So I said,
Sitting under a potlid, tiny and inert as a rice grain.
They are turning the burners up, ring after ring.
We are full of starch, my small white fellows. We grow.
It hurts at first. The red tongues will teach the truth.

Mother of beetles, only unclench your hand:
I’ll fly through the candle’s mouth like a singeless moth.
Give me back my shape. I am ready to construe the days
I coupled with dust in the shadow of a stone.
My ankles brighten. Brightness ascends my thighs.
I am lost, I am lost, in the robes of all this light.

“Witch Burning” by Sylvia Plath is a poem that delves into the themes of persecution, isolation, and the quest for identity. Through its vivid imagery and symbolic language, the poem paints a haunting portrait of a speaker trapped in a world of darkness and oppression.

The poem begins with a scene set in a marketplace, where dry sticks are being piled up, likely for a witch burning. This imagery immediately evokes a sense of foreboding and danger. The speaker describes feeling like a dartboard for witches, suggesting that they are the target of persecution and violence. This sets the tone for the rest of the poem, establishing a sense of fear and vulnerability.

Throughout the poem, the speaker uses rich imagery to convey their sense of confinement and entrapment. They describe themselves as inhabiting the “wax image” of themselves, emphasizing their lack of agency and autonomy. This image of a doll’s body suggests a feeling of being controlled or manipulated by external forces.

The speaker also explores the theme of darkness and light, using it as a metaphor for their inner turmoil. They blame the darkness around them for their predicament, feeling as if their light has been extinguished. This metaphorical darkness represents the oppressive forces that surround them, keeping them trapped and powerless.

The poem is filled with images of confinement and imprisonment. The speaker describes being kept in a “parrot cage” by a mysterious figure with “large eyes,” further emphasizing their sense of captivity. This imagery evokes a feeling of claustrophobia and suffocation, highlighting the speaker’s desire for freedom.

Despite their sense of confinement, the speaker also expresses a desire for connection and intimacy. They admit to being “intimate with a hairy spirit,” suggesting a longing for companionship and understanding. This juxtaposition of confinement and intimacy adds depth to the speaker’s character, revealing their complex emotional state.

Throughout the poem, the speaker grapples with feelings of insignificance and powerlessness. They describe themselves as a “little one,” feeling as if they can do no harm. This sense of powerlessness is further emphasized by their comparison to a “rice grain” sitting under a potlid, emphasizing their smallness and insignificance in the face of larger forces.

Despite their feelings of powerlessness, the speaker also expresses a sense of resilience and determination. They acknowledge the pain of growth and the inevitability of facing the truth, suggesting a willingness to confront their fears and uncertainties head-on.

The poem concludes with a sense of ambiguity and uncertainty. The speaker expresses a feeling of being overwhelmed by light, suggesting a sense of confusion or disorientation. Despite this, there’s also a hint of hope in the speaker’s desire to “fly through the candle’s mouth like a singeless moth,” suggesting a longing for freedom and transformation.

Overall, “Witch Burning” is a haunting and evocative poem that explores themes of persecution, isolation, and the quest for identity. Through its rich imagery and symbolic language, the poem captures the complexity of the human experience and the struggle for liberation.