La Mort De Marilyn Monroe. (Translation) . Poem by Michael Walker

Sharon Olds gives her unique perspective of the death of the film star, Marilyn Monroe, who died by probable suicide from an overdose of sleeping pills on the night of 5 August,1962. Marilyn (1926-1962) , was only thirty-five when she died. Possibly the overdose she took was accidental, but it is unlikely.
Olds focuses on the effect which Marilyn's death has on the three ambulance men who took her body to hospital. All three men are negatively affected by the traumatic event. One man gets depressed, has nightmares. Another one now disliked his work as an ambulance man. Marilyn seems to be waiting for him beyond the grave. The third man thinks he is back at Marilyn's home, listening to an ordinary woman breathing in her sleep.
The obvious question is why these men are so greatly affected by Marilyn's death. Probably because she was a famous, beautiful film star, no ordinary woman. Then again, three other men might have shrugged their shoulders and got on with living their same lives. It all depends on a man's character and nature.
As a further background note. Marilyn was living at her house at Fifth Helena Drive, Brentwood, with a housekeeper. She married three times, all ending in divorce. She had been dismissed by Fox from the set of 'Something's Got To Give', but there were negotiations going on to re-hire her. Marilyn's second husband, Joe Di Maggio, to whom she was married 1954-1955, arranged her funeral completely himself, and arranged for flowers to be delivered to her grave regularly.
Marilyn's last completed film was 'The Misfits', which was written by her then husband Arthur Miller and starred Marilyn, Clark Gable, Eli Wallach, and the actor with such a great voice and presence, Montgomery Clift. The movie is about roping in horses in the hot Nevada Desert and I have seen it on DVD (black and white) quite a few times. A classic movie that does not fade.
Nor does Sharon Olds' poem fade: it is original and outstanding.


Marilyn's home, listening to an ordinary woman breathing, asleep.