Write: Plot

Overview of “Write: Plot”

“Write: Plot” is a captivating ode from Duffy’s The Bees collection. Acknowledging writing as an art form, it encourages the notion of writing as an entity separate from reality, freeing of constraints, and alive with potential.

Key Themes

Transformation through Writing

• “Paper, thin as skin” underscores the fragility of writing but also its inherent transformative nature where feelings transform into words, highlighting how art can create new realities.

The Power of Words

• “Words, scarlet in the paling day are wounds” Personification is used to demonstrate the emotional power of words, highlighting their ability to inflict emotional pain or pleasure.

The Process of Writing

• “Poem, what are you?” Through its direct address to the poem, Duffy highlights the uncertainty and unpredictability inherent in the creative process of writing.

Interpretation of Key Themes

The Magic of Writing

• The likening of paper to skin reveals the close connection between the writer and their work, whilst showing the transformative power of writing to create new perspectives and realities.

The Intensity of Written Emotion

• By presenting words as ‘scarlet’ or ‘wounds’, Duffy conveys the deep and enduring impact words can leave, demonstrating how they can induce intense feelings akin to physical experiences.

Unpredictability of Creativity

• The direct address to a poem mirrors a writer’s intimate relationship with their creation, and the simultaneous uncertainty they face within the unique and unpredictable process of crafting a literary piece.