Reviews

All My Pretty Ones by Anne Sexton

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casparb's review against another edition

these are poems of chock

an unbelievable collection Anne has such power here
besides the hugely famous pieces in here which almost precede themselves I'm fascinated by The Fortress, as difficult as it is to read. It's so unlike, it all

shadesofpemberley's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective

3.75

aaroncbabcock's review against another edition

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5.0

Sexton's poetry never fails to be arresting

makennadykstra's review against another edition

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reflective slow-paced

2.5

jazkc's review against another edition

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4.0

3.5 stars ✧

❝A woman who writes feels too much,
those trances and portents!
As if cycles and children and islands
weren't enough; as if mourners and gossips
and vegetables were never enough.
She thinks she can warn the stars.
A writer is essentially a spy.
Dear love, I am that girl.

A man who writes knows too much,
such spells and fetiches!
As if erections and congresses and products
weren't enough; as if machines and galleons
and wars were never enough.
With used furniture he makes a tree.
A writer is essentially a crook.
Dear love, you are that man.

Never loving ourselves,
hating even our shoes and our hates,
we love each other, precious, precious.
Our hands are light blue and gentle.
Our eyes are full of terrible confessions.
But when we marry,
the children leave in disgust.
There is too much food and no one left over
to eat up all the weird abundance.❞
—The Black Art

cielllo's review against another edition

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The town does not exist
except where one black-haired tree slips
up like a drowned woman into the hot sky.
The town is silent. The night boils with eleven stars.
Oh starry starry night! This is how
I want to die.