In My Box Clarke is describing her box full of memories to another person. Each stanza describes a different part of the box. In the first she sets the scene by describing how the box was made and with what materials. In stanza two she describes the content of the box and what it means to her. In the last stanza she tells her listener where here box is kept. Clarke describes her box as a type of open diary or an alternative autobiography of her life.
Plath and Clarke view there boxes both in completely different ways. Clarke uses her box to convey all of her memories to another person and all the feelings she describes are positive and depict the relationship between her and her husband using objects such as the golden tree to portray their love. The poem is an explanation manual to the box. Plath doesn’t use the box to convey anything in such an obvious way, but taking into account background information about her life and mind, the poem reveals a deeper meaning than just an account of her first impressions of a her box of bees. There is a darker undertone of her insecurity and unstable emotions and also in contrast to the other poem you feel her loneliness, as the other poem is definitely directed at another close friend or relative, whereas Plath seems to be talking to herself.
In describing what she sees Plath uses morbid and gloomy images like in the first stanza when she describes the actual box she says ’I would say it was the coffin of a midget, Or a square baby’ which provides a disturbing image. On the other hand Clarke looks back fondly on her memories and so describes them in a simple and comprehensible form. Plath's poem requires a lot more careful thought to try and analyse it, whereas Clarke’s is more on a level with what everyday people hope and dream for so it is much easier to apply to and study.
Plath’s poem has no rhyme scheme and a very irregular rhythm, which adds to the effect of the poem sounding more like a private account of her talking to herself showing dramatic monologue. Clarke’s has a very fixed rhythm with mostly alternating six and eight syllables to a line. She also doesn’t use much of a rhyme scheme though its debatable whether some of the verses use half rhyme like in the third stanza ’On an open shelf I keep my box. Its key is in the lock.’ which has the repetition of the ’c’ sound.
Plath seems to feel threatened by what the box could contain. At first she feels confident and comfortable with the box, as it is square and clean, so she knows its general shape and limits. She knows where she is with it. As the poem progresses, she begins to feel more threatened by the box itself. On the other hand Clarke feels totally at ease with her box throughout the whole poem.
In contrast, Plath’s box seems light coloured and friendly on the outside, until we progress further in, where we realise the inside is dark and sinister. This is brought out by the use of colour in the poem. Plath describes everything using dark and gloomy colours and references. For example in stanza three ‘With the swarmy feeling of African hands, Minute and shrunk for export, Black on black, angrily clambering.’ Clarke’s box on the other hand starts off darkly, until we get further and the light on the inside is revealed. She brings this out by using positive adjectives and nouns associated with new-birth and light. For example in stanza two ‘ harvested apples and words and days, and planted a golden tree.’ And again in stanza three ‘how everything is slowly made, and how slowly things made me,’
Plath gives the impression of being out of control as each stanza has different ideas and impressions of where she stands. She almost resembles angry bees as all her thoughts are in a frenzy. In contrast, Clarke’s whole approach is more orderly and controlled. She displays stability.
In conclusion I much prefer Gillian Clarke’s poem, as it is much easier to read as it has a fixed rhythm, which is much easier for reading the poem aloud. It also has a much more positive outlook on what she’s talking about which also makes it easier for the reader. Plath’s poem disturbs me much more than it did now that I her life story, as knowing about her brings out a darker side to the poem. I still think its a very effective and thought provoking poem, but I much prefer Clarke’s idea of a box, full of books, full of memories.
Anna-Laura Morris
