Fiesta Melons
by Sylvia Plath
In Benidorm there are melons,
Whole donkey-carts full
Whole donkey-carts full
Of innumerable melons,
Ovals and balls,
Ovals and balls,
Bright green and thumpable
Laced over with stripes
Laced over with stripes
Of turtle-dark green.
Choose an egg-shape, a world-shape,
Choose an egg-shape, a world-shape,
Bowl one homeward to taste
In the whitehot noon:
In the whitehot noon:
Cream-smooth honeydews,
Pink-pulped whoppers,
Pink-pulped whoppers,
Bump-rinded cantaloupes
With orange cores.
With orange cores.
Each wedge wears a studding
Of blanched seeds or black seeds
Of blanched seeds or black seeds
To strew like confetti
Under the feet of
Under the feet of
This market of melon-eating
Fiesta-goers.
Fiesta-goers.
Discussion and Activities
- Use online or library resources to find the location of "Benidorm."
- What do the details in the poem tell you about the place the poet is describing? How do you know it is probably not a modern scene in the US?
- What is familiar? What is unfamiliar?
- What kind of melon is "egg-shape?" What kind of melon is "world shape." Why does she suggest "bowling one homeward"?
- How are the seeds like confetti?
- How many kinds of melon can you identify from the descriptions? List them.
- List all the adjectives used to describe the melons.
- Find examples of personification in the poem.
- Find examples of metaphor, simile and alliteration.
- What is the mood of the poem? Find two words that help set the mood.
- Draw a picture of the scene she is describing.