An American Poet’s Confessions
Death, loss, and madness, the triumphant three of the grim. Authors over the centuries have utilized these tools in their storytelling to create depth and interest. Those who are most effective in doing so, tend to be those who have some level of personal connection with the grim. Anne Sexton, a prizewinning 20th century poet, is no exception. Through her personal and mental struggles, she authored some dark and interesting work.
Sexton originated from a well off family. Although she was materially satisfied as a child, joy was far off. This was partly due to the difficult and abusive relationship she maintained with her parents (Poetry Foundation). This led to a depression Sexton couldn’t shake throughout her life, eventually leading to her own suicide at age 45 (Ruth Graham). Anne’s start in writing came during her postpartum depression, a type of depression mother’s experience following childbirth due to hormonal changes and imbalances (postpartum …show more content…
Dawn Skorczewski, an associate professor at Brandeis University, points out that “most of the first poems… [Sexton] wrote after she and [her therapist] discussed her becoming a poet[,] were about therapy.” You, Doctor Martin was the first poem in her first published collection, which featured a therapist as the listener. In this poem, the speaker is addressing the ‘doctor’ directly. Initially, the speaker states “You, Doctor Martin, walk from breakfast to madness” (1-2 You, Doctor Martin). With the knowledge that Sexton wrote this while in therapy, as a reader, we begin to understand that speaker’s addressing their therapist. What follows is not only an expression of emotion, but a recollection of events as well. This gives her poetry that confessional vibe she maintains through most of her work. The speaker in this particular piece depicts their institutionalized life by
Death, loss, and madness, the triumphant three of the grim. Authors over the centuries have utilized these tools in their storytelling to create depth and interest. Those who are most effective in doing so, tend to be those who have some level of personal connection with the grim. Anne Sexton, a prizewinning 20th century poet, is no exception. Through her personal and mental struggles, she authored some dark and interesting work.
Sexton originated from a well off family. Although she was materially satisfied as a child, joy was far off. This was partly due to the difficult and abusive relationship she maintained with her parents (Poetry Foundation). This led to a depression Sexton couldn’t shake throughout her life, eventually leading to her own suicide at age 45 (Ruth Graham). Anne’s start in writing came during her postpartum depression, a type of depression mother’s experience following childbirth due to hormonal changes and imbalances (postpartum …show more content…
Dawn Skorczewski, an associate professor at Brandeis University, points out that “most of the first poems… [Sexton] wrote after she and [her therapist] discussed her becoming a poet[,] were about therapy.” You, Doctor Martin was the first poem in her first published collection, which featured a therapist as the listener. In this poem, the speaker is addressing the ‘doctor’ directly. Initially, the speaker states “You, Doctor Martin, walk from breakfast to madness” (1-2 You, Doctor Martin). With the knowledge that Sexton wrote this while in therapy, as a reader, we begin to understand that speaker’s addressing their therapist. What follows is not only an expression of emotion, but a recollection of events as well. This gives her poetry that confessional vibe she maintains through most of her work. The speaker in this particular piece depicts their institutionalized life by