The Rival - A poem by Sylvia Plath

Sylvia Plath - The Rival

If the moon smiled, she would resemble you.
You leave the same impression
Of something beautiful, but annihilating.
Both of you are great light borrowers.
Her O-mouth grieves at the world; yours is unaffected,

And your first gift is making stone out of everything.
I wake to a mausoleum; you are here,
Ticking your fingers on the marble table, looking for cigarettes,
Spiteful as a woman, but not so nervous,
And dying to say something unanswerable.

The moon, too, abuses her subjects,
But in the daytime she is ridiculous.
Your dissatisfactions, on the other hand,
Arrive through the mailslot with loving regularity,
White and blank, expansive as carbon monoxide.

No day is safe from news of you,
Walking about in Africa maybe, but thinking of me.

Added: on February 28th, 2006 at 12:01 PM | Viewed: 5339 times | Comments and analysis of The Rival by Sylvia Plath Comments (5)

The Rival - Comments and Information
Poet: Sylvia Plath Poem: The Rival Volume: The Collected Poems Year: Published/Written in 1961 Poem of the Day: Jan 13 2005 Comment 5 of 5, added on June 2nd, 2008 at 3:11 PM. I saw this poem as Plath's way of counting the increasing distance between Ted and herself. In the poem, I felt there was reference to Medusa in the line "And your first gift is making stone out of everything." I gave a sense of coldness and led well into her prison/death sentence of being trapped in his "mausoleum." I'd like to count this poem as more of a mockery and expression of anxiety towards her husband more than anything. Emily from United States Comment 4 of 5, added on April 16th, 2006 at 8:07 PM. Line 11 should have the word abases, not abuses. Amanda from United States Comment 3 of 5, added on February 28th, 2006 at 12:01 PM. I think the poem is about her relationship with Ted. He was a follower of Robert Graves and there are a number of references in both writers works in regard to the Moon and it's reference to mythology. "I wake to a mausoleum" is refering to Ted, she often referred to him as "Stone Man". He was becoming increasingly distant and her poems during this time were an attempt to put her finger on what was going on. Lorie Davies from Canada More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, The Rival, has received 5 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: The Rival Volume: The Collected Poems Year: Published/Written in 1961 Last read: Jul 19 2008, 7:37PM Poem of the Day: Jan 13 2005 Viewed 5339 times. Added on February 28th, 2006 at 12:01 PM.

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