Polly's Tree - A poem by Sylvia Plath

Sylvia Plath - Polly's Tree

A dream tree, Polly's tree:
 a thicket of sticks,
  each speckled twig

ending in a thin-paned
 leaf unlike any
  other on it

or in a ghost flower
 flat as paper and
  of a color

vaporish as frost-breath,
 more finical than
  any silk fan

the Chinese ladies use
 to stir robin's egg
  air. The silver-

haired seed of the milkweed
 comes to roost there, frail
  as the halo

rayed round a candle flame,
 a will-o'-the-wisp
  nimbus, or puff

of cloud-stuff, tipping her
 queer candelabrum.
  Palely lit by

snuff-ruffed dandelions,
 white daisy wheels and
  a tiger faced

pansy, it glows. O it's
 no family tree,
  Polly's tree, nor

a tree of heaven, though
 it marry quartz-flake,
  feather and rose.

It sprang from her pillow
 whole as a cobweb
  ribbed like a hand,

a dream tree. Polly's tree
 wears a valentine
  arc of tear-pearled

bleeding hearts on its sleeve
 and, crowning it, one
  blue larkspur star.

Added: on April 13th, 2005 at 12:07 PM | Viewed: 3024 times | Comments and analysis of Polly's Tree by Sylvia Plath Comments (3)

Polly's Tree - Comments and Information
Poet: Sylvia Plath Poem: Polly's Tree Volume: The Collected Poems Year: Published/Written in 1959 Comment 3 of 3, added on March 27th, 2007 at 4:39 AM. I am currently analysing this poem for my grade 12 poetry assessment. It is such an interesting poem that has so many gaps for the reader to fill. For example, who si Polly? (Majority of people would automatically assume she is an young girl, but consider she may be an old woman reminising on her childhood, or a dream which she had. It could also be an animal that lives in the tree...) Just something to think about :) Carla from Australia Comment 2 of 3, added on November 14th, 2005 at 7:14 AM. i like this poem because my name is Polly I dont understand it, but I like trees Polly from United States Comment 1 of 3, added on April 13th, 2005 at 12:07 PM. I like this poem but I don't understand at all javi from United States More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, Polly's Tree, has received 3 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own. Of course you can also always discuss poems by Sylvia Plath with others on the American Poems poetry forum!

Poem Info
Poet: Sylvia Plath Poem: Polly's Tree Volume: The Collected Poems Year: Published/Written in 1959 Last read: Jul 23 2008, 1:18PM Viewed 3024 times. Added on April 13th, 2005 at 12:07 PM.

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