Mad Girl

            A lot can be said for subtle simplicity. The speaker in the poem Mad Girl's Love Song coveys a common deep emotion in a more obvious way, while at the same time sparking a sort of subsurface reaction with beautifully hopeless imagery. She expresses her story of a girl who was so clearly captivated by another, what triggers my curiosity is the "you" in the poem. Who is she talking to and referring to I wondered. I realize that there is a paradoxical blend creating this character. The "you" is someone who was clearly a part of her life, while at the same time the "you" is someone who is completely nonexistent. I might be over analyzing this poem, but listening to the blend creates a new picture; the one picture that Sylvia Plath was shooting for. The "you" is someone who was in fact there, but has disappeared in such uncomfortably rapid suddenness that their memory, along with how lovely and beautiful it was, has been faded and thus a uncertainty of initial existence unfolds. Sadness creeps over the entire poem with wording that paints a picture of darkness (hence the absence of the "you") while in the same line painting a beautiful scene (hence the past presence of the "you"). Its all topped off with the closing of her eyes (revisiting reality -darkness-absence) and the inquiry of whether or not the "you" was a made up character. Its all so different, but it all blends correctly. I did not point out specifics in the poem because you should read it yourself. Pay attention to the presence of the beautiful imagery (i.e. Stars blue and red) and the quickness of the dark imagery (closing of eyes, world dropping dead, etc.). It all fits in a weird way with the closing of the last two lines.
             I personally think this poem brings simplicity to a new height. It did not take me long to get the drift, but something told me to dig deeper. I felt urged to recognize the mixtures and parallels used. I actually believe that appearance of simplicity is only a median between commonality and deep confusion (so much that amnesia might be apparent).