Guess What This Is

[LilAznAccommodator]

I have no clue what it is lol.. and it is Haltign me from finishing my computer... Itis a poem.. but I dont' know what it is...

I'm a riddle in nine syllables,
An elephant, a ponderous house,
A melon strolling on two tendrils,
O red fruit, ivory, fine timbers!
This loaf's big with its yeasty rising.
Money's new-minted in this fat purse.
I'm a means, a stage, a cow in calf.
I've eaten a bag of green apples,
Boarded the train there's no getting off.


Bleh... Lol I am clueless

[Cheese]

Something to do with pregnancy?

[bigboab]

Poet: Sylvia Plath
Poem: Metaphors

[LilAznAccommodator]

Wow lol, thanks a bunch.. but can yu explain why it is Pregnancy? I dont' really comprehend that...

[Cheese]

Wow lol, thanks a bunch.. but can yu explain why it is Pregnancy? I dont' really comprehend that...

The use of the number 9 is the most obvious giveaway, 9 months of pregancy.

And some of the imagery in the poem could be attributed to pregnancy.


"This loaf's big with its yeasty rising."

"I'm a means, a stage, a cow in calf."

A lot of the poem she's also talking of being fat or large.

[bigboab]

Poets use metaphor to explore the ideas, forces and powers that lay behind our rational thought and our rational conception of the world. Ideas as living, thriving entities reveal themselves through the juxtaposition of two or more familiar ideas.

In "Metaphors", Plath superimposes the idea of her "I" or ego with ideas of objects such as riddles, elephants, houses, melons, bread, money, and cows. The "I" also identifies itself with a verbs such as strolling, eating, and boarding. Since Plath may have thought she was pregnant when she composed this poem, the idea of pregnancy(9 letters, 9 months)hovers behind the poem as a metaphor for human creation and becoming. Metaphors are embedded in metaphors, the 9 lines contain metaphors that describe pregnancy, but that whole system of metaphors is a metaphor for the essential spiritual being that manifested as "Sylvia Plath". For example:

"I've eaten a bag of green apples,
Boarded the train there's no getting off."

The sensual pleasure of the food with its resulting sickness from overindulgence and the reference to the human "fall" through the apple image points points to both pregnancy and to her conscious or unconscious decision to offer herself as a vessel of creativity. Her decision to create is irrevocable and may be fraught with peril. She later wrote a poem, "Getting There", that expanded on the train imagery of the last line.

Google explains all. I think.

[LilAznAccommodator]

Poets use metaphor to explore the ideas, forces and powers that lay behind our rational thought and our rational conception of the world. Ideas as living, thriving entities reveal themselves through the juxtaposition of two or more familiar ideas.

In "Metaphors", Plath superimposes the idea of her "I" or ego with ideas of objects such as riddles, elephants, houses, melons, bread, money, and cows. The "I" also identifies itself with a verbs such as strolling, eating, and boarding. Since Plath may have thought she was pregnant when she composed this poem, the idea of pregnancy(9 letters, 9 months)hovers behind the poem as a metaphor for human creation and becoming. Metaphors are embedded in metaphors, the 9 lines contain metaphors that describe pregnancy, but that whole system of metaphors is a metaphor for the essential spiritual being that manifested as "Sylvia Plath". For example:

"I've eaten a bag of green apples,
Boarded the train there's no getting off."

The sensual pleasure of the food with its resulting sickness from overindulgence and the reference to the human "fall" through the apple image points points to both pregnancy and to her conscious or unconscious decision to offer herself as a vessel of creativity. Her decision to create is irrevocable and may be fraught with peril. She later wrote a poem, "Getting There", that expanded on the train imagery of the last line.

Google explains all. I think.

Thanks a GRIP now.. But for that line you used:

I've eaten a bag of green apples,

One of the quesitosn I have to answer is
How do you interpret Lin 8(Which is that one)?

It is about sickness?

[bigboab]

There are countless interpretations of this poem. someone even interpretated it as referring to America as follows:


Metaphors is a very interesting poem. I came up with the riddle of nine syllables- United States of America. I am going to explain my interpretation of more than one line because I seriously doubt this is how others will interpret it.
“An elephant, a ponderous house” - this represents strong, powerful, large, and a sense of loyalty and belonging.
“A melon strolling on two tendrils”- represents democracy- our country is not a tolitarian country but rather depends voice of the people- it takes two to tango
“O red fruit, ivory, fine timbers”- ivory is hard and strong or firm, fine timbers represents that our country can stand up straight, on our own two feet- strong military as well. Fine timbers-we have good leaders and young scholars- better schooling than most countries.
“This loaf’s big with its yeasty rising”- population increasing
“I’m a means, a stage, a cow in calf.”- America is a means of independence and whatever lifestyle you choose for yourself, a stage or example for other countries, a cow in calf- a young country that has come further and seems to have the most solid base than many older countries- constitution, declaration of independence etc
“I’ve eaten of bag of green apples” - Life here can be as sweet as you want it. Just like picking apples, your dreams can be fulfilled in the US.
“Boarded the train, there’s no getting off”- immigrants as well as- once you’re a citizen here you are content.
********


You pays your money you takes your choice. I dont know why, but for some unknown reason 'The Death Of a Salesman' is running through my head. Bedtime methinks.

[Cheese]

There are countless interpretations of this poem. someone even interpretated it as referring to America as follows:


Metaphors is a very interesting poem. I came up with the riddle of nine igrants as well as- once you’re a citizen here you are content.
********


You pays your money you takes your choice. I dont know why, but for some unknown reason 'The Death Of a Salesman' is running through my head. Bedtime methinks.

I was just looking at this interpretation. Pretty dire imo.

As for green apples you'd imagine someone who ate a whole bag of apples would be quite bloated and not feeling great. I think that links in with pregnancy but I'm sure someone can come up with a better reason than that.

[Cheese]

Yes, here's someone else's better interpretation:

The line in which she refers to eating “a bag of green apples” gives me the impression that she feels sick. The color green, to me, represents sickness or ill feelings. Green apples also could refer to their ripeness. The unripe “green apples” could be describing her feelings of not being ready for the pregnancy.

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