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Comment 10 of 10, added on December 30th, 2007 at 6:55 PM.
I'd caution against reading this as a "lesbian" poem. Yes, perhaps for Bishop it did refer to her homosexuality, but to define a poem as any one thing is dangerous and, imho, foolish. This poem can speak to a heterosexual person as much as a homosexual.
Francis Sohn from United States
Comment 9 of 10, added on April 11th, 2007 at 10:49 PM.
I can only say Thank you for your commments because my assignment is due in two days! THANKS!!
Ed from Canada
Comment 8 of 10, added on March 9th, 2007 at 9:05 PM.
That really helps with my assignment on this poem for my high school english class. Thank you
MT from United States
Comment 7 of 10, added on January 4th, 2007 at 9:13 AM.
U actually helped my with my class assignment.. thanks a bunch... :-)
cb from United States
Comment 6 of 10, added on November 19th, 2005 at 11:53 AM.
Jodie is right. The speaker in this poem is a woman who is in love with another woman. This is indicated not just by the daytime sleeping but by the word inverted which actually used to be used to indicate "homosexual". Due to the homophobia of the times their love could not be acknowledged by the "light of day", hence the insomnia.
Sue from Canada
Comment 5 of 10, added on October 12th, 2005 at 6:07 PM.
Elizabeth Bishop was a well known closet lesbian, and the poem is about her internal struggles. This is seen when she talks about being a daytime sleeper, as in she is the opposite of everyone else. In the third stanza she talks about wishing the world was inverted so that everyone else would be like her.
Jodie from Canada
Comment 4 of 10, added on May 2nd, 2005 at 10:13 AM.
The poem's title is "Insomnia" because the speaker is lying awake at night, unable to sleep, considering the reflection of the moon in her mirror as she thinks about love. (The love of someone which is not reciprocated)
Selena from Canada
Comment 3 of 10, added on April 1st, 2005 at 11:25 AM.
i like this poem very much though i dont understand why it is titled "insomnia" and i agree with carolyn from the united states with her interpetation
julie from United States
Comment 2 of 10, added on December 19th, 2004 at 11:04 AM.
This poem really isn't about insomnia...its about the speker (the moon) losing her love (arguably the universe), and saying to herslef that she is fine with out him, and only needs herself to survive (hence the mirror, water, reflection references). However, in the end it is revealed that she would actually like to be in "that world inverted," in other words, world of opposits or reflections (back to the whole mirror idea). She actually wants to be here, because in a different world, in a world that is opposit reality, he would actually love her. This is an incredible poem.
Carolyn from United States
Comment 1 of 10, added on December 13th, 2004 at 3:51 PM.
I think that this poem is really good....because I suffer from insomnia!
By: holly
Holly
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Copyright © 2003-2008 Gunnar Bengtsson, Poetry Connection. All Rights Reserved.
I'd caution against reading this as a "lesbian" poem. Yes, perhaps for Bishop it did refer to her homosexuality, but to define a poem as any one thing is dangerous and, imho, foolish. This poem can speak to a heterosexual person as much as a homosexual.
Francis Sohn from United States