Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Anne Sexton's "Christmas Eve" is a haunting and introspective poem that explores the complex relationship between the speaker and her mother, focusing on themes of memory, loss, guilt, and unresolved emotions. The poem is set against the backdrop of a Christmas gathering, a time traditionally associated with family, warmth, and togetherness, yet Sexton uses this setting to delve into the darker, more tumultuous aspects of familial bonds.

The poem begins with the speaker addressing her mother as "Oh sharp diamond," immediately setting a tone of admiration mixed with a sense of danger or coldness. The diamond, a symbol of beauty, strength, and value, also suggests something hard and unyielding. This duality reflects the mother’s multifaceted personality, as the speaker mentions her "faces" and "moods," indicating that the mother was a complex, perhaps difficult, figure whose emotional cost was incalculable. The "present that I lost" hints at a significant absence or loss in the speaker's life, something precious that was once given but is now irretrievably gone.

The second stanza shifts to a vivid description of the family gathering, where the mother’s presence is felt through her portrait, "flickering all night / by the bulbs of the tree." The mother’s calm face, "as calm as the moon / over a mannered sea," presides over the reunion, suggesting that even in death, her influence remains strong. The reference to the "twelve grandchildren / you used to wear on your wrist" likely alludes to a charm bracelet, symbolizing the mother’s pride in her family, yet also implying a sense of possession or control. The contrast between the idyllic image of the calm, serene mother and the reality of her daughters, "each one avoiding your portrait," underscores the tension within the family—each daughter perhaps struggling with the legacy their mother left behind, "aping your life" in ways that feel unavoidable yet inauthentic.

As the poem progresses, the speaker becomes increasingly fixated on her mother’s portrait, staying up late into the night, drinking "the Christmas brandy" and staring at the picture. The image of the tree’s bulbs vibrating and becoming "a halo" or "a beehive" around the mother’s head reflects the speaker’s growing unease and obsession. The bulbs are described as "hot and alive," stinging the mother’s face with their intensity, yet the mother’s image remains unmoved, invincible. This unchanging portrait becomes a source of frustration and despair for the speaker, who longs for some sign of life, some change in the mother’s expression, but finds none. The mother’s enduring charm and wit, which once captivated the speaker, now feel suffocating and unyielding, as if they are impossible to escape or reconcile with.

The poem reaches a turning point as the speaker continues to stare at the portrait, noticing the physical imperfections—the "withered neck," the "badly painted flesh-pink skin"—that contrast with the idealized image she had held onto. This confrontation with the reality of her mother’s aging and mortality leads the speaker to a dark and disturbing thought: she thinks of her mother’s body "as one thinks of murder." This line reveals the depth of the speaker’s internal conflict, her anger, and perhaps her guilt at harboring such thoughts. The mother, who once "led me by the nose," is now seen in a harsh, unflattering light, stripped of the idealized image the speaker had clung to.

In the final lines, the speaker’s anguish and need for reconciliation become evident. She calls out "Mary," a possible reference to the Virgin Mary, invoking forgiveness and seeking solace. The act of touching "a present for the child," the "last I bred before your death," and then her own breast, reflects a deep connection between the speaker’s experience of motherhood and her relationship with her own mother. The repetition of touching her breast "as if, / somehow, it were one of yours" suggests a desire to reconnect, to find a way back to the intimacy and bond that was once there, but also the realization that this connection is fraught with pain and unresolved feelings.

"Christmas Eve" is a powerful exploration of the complexities of mother-daughter relationships, especially in the shadow of loss. Sexton’s use of vivid imagery, emotional intensity, and the contrast between the serene external world and the tumultuous inner experience of the speaker creates a poignant and unsettling portrait of a woman grappling with her memories and the lasting influence of her mother. The poem captures the ambivalence of love, the struggle for forgiveness, and the difficult process of coming to terms with the past.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...