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Love Poems
Twenty-five poems celebrating the sensual frontiers of Sexton's time.
Paperback, 80 pages
Published
October 1st 1999
by Mariner Books
(first published 1969)
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I love this book of poems (and have for many years) because of one poem it contains which has a grace and beauty and truth that I recognize and admire and that breaks my heart each time I really think about it. I hope that despite a messy (if only for its failure to be epic or stormy or contented and sweet) past love-life I will never know the pain that the the speaker of this poem knows. I hope that this poem, if nothing else, will remind me to secure my heart from loving men such as these, reg...more
Anne Sexton was one of the first poets I really got attached to in college. I had my first access to the internet and there weren't very many websites about poets, but there was one about Anne Sexton. It included some of her poems.
I never read through a whole book of Sexton, I only read specific poems. It was great to read through a whole book.
I read about half of the poems before and loved reading them again. I liked the poems best when they weren't in form.
The poems were so full of life and f...more
I never read through a whole book of Sexton, I only read specific poems. It was great to read through a whole book.
I read about half of the poems before and loved reading them again. I liked the poems best when they weren't in form.
The poems were so full of life and f...more
Why so many love poems lately? I dunno, but I am enjoying the day trips.
From this collection, I loved "Again and Again and Again" and "The Ballad of the Lonely Masturbator" and "For My Lover, Returning to His Wife." I loved them even though I don't normally love graphic and explicit -- I think for their cadence and physicality and heartonsleeve-ness. For instance, from "The Ballad of the Lonely Masturbator":
From this collection, I loved "Again and Again and Again" and "The Ballad of the Lonely Masturbator" and "For My Lover, Returning to His Wife." I loved them even though I don't normally love graphic and explicit -- I think for their cadence and physicality and heartonsleeve-ness. For instance, from "The Ballad of the Lonely Masturbator":
...more
She took you the way a woman takes
a bargain dress of the rack
and I broke the way a sto
I think perhaps that Anne Sexton gets a little overlooked sometimes, perhaps a little overshadowed by Plath (don't get me wrong - I love Plath). But this collection of poetry is great. Sexton writes from the woman's body and does so so sensually, yet she manages to make these poems (narrative of a love affair) politically motivated. She creates a world where the difference between people can melt into a union of tenderness. Excellent collection.
From "Eighteen Days Without You"
December 11th
Then I...more
From "Eighteen Days Without You"
December 11th
Then I...more
I just could not get into this collection as much as "Live or Die" no matter how much I wanted to. Perhaps some of the poems are too ethereal for me? I'm not exactly sure what it is, but I found myself dozing off while reading some of them, while others jolted me out of my seat their use of language was so powerful and evocative. My favorites from this collection are: "The Touch", "The Breast", "That Day", "In Celebration of My Uterus", "For My Lover, Returning to His Wife", "The Break" (A bird...more
I really enjoyed this book of poems. I had never read Anne Sexton's work, and so I felt like this was a good place to start,
Although the title suggests lovey dovey, mushy poetry, a lot of them are quite the contrary. Her narrative tend to be very sad (particularly, "For My Lover Returning to his Wife" and "You All Know the Story of the Other Woman"). They revolve around heartbreak, and the sunken feeling that comes with having an affair with a married man. It's an interesting perspective that Se...more
Although the title suggests lovey dovey, mushy poetry, a lot of them are quite the contrary. Her narrative tend to be very sad (particularly, "For My Lover Returning to his Wife" and "You All Know the Story of the Other Woman"). They revolve around heartbreak, and the sunken feeling that comes with having an affair with a married man. It's an interesting perspective that Se...more
The only poet to rhyme "entrails" with "cocktails"
Anne Sexton is often called a confessional poet, which makes me think of Ani DiFranco, but Sexton's voice is more ironic and reserved than the slam poetry tell-all style that followed her.
Also she uses techniques of concrete poets such as William Carlos Williams in her constant mention of everyday objects. She is not comparing herself to greek goddesses or historical figures, she is describing very closely her life as a 60's housewife, and it is...more
Anne Sexton is often called a confessional poet, which makes me think of Ani DiFranco, but Sexton's voice is more ironic and reserved than the slam poetry tell-all style that followed her.
Also she uses techniques of concrete poets such as William Carlos Williams in her constant mention of everyday objects. She is not comparing herself to greek goddesses or historical figures, she is describing very closely her life as a 60's housewife, and it is...more
A more in depth review is owed, but for now... Five stars to The Ballad of the Lonely Masturbator, The Papa and Mama Dance and four stars to the long piece Eighteen Days Without You.
Much of the rest failed to truly capture me.
Much of the rest failed to truly capture me.
Oh my god! Song for a Red Nightgown may be the most sensual and vulnerable love poem ever written. I've had it hanging in my cube for a couple years and read it when I need to remind myself of humanity's potential beauty.
I liked this book for the same reasons I think most did. It's bold and honest and sexy and not simple. The title says "love poems." Some are anything but.
Her poetry is addictive seriously!
The Poems are perfectly written , gives a great feeling of satisfaction.
My fave was "Again and Again and Again"
The Poems are perfectly written , gives a great feeling of satisfaction.
My fave was "Again and Again and Again"
Though I wasn't huge on the lion's share of these, the ones that I liked were amazing. Not a lot of middle ground there.
3.5 Having now read three Sexton's, I find her to be a bit of a hit and miss. The only thing is, when she hits, she hits so damn hard.
Strikingly sad, but also incredibly powerful. The historical relevance of the book can't be understated (pub. 1969).
I cannot help but infer from Sexton's coversmirk & poetry that she has had a life of great sex. Many of the poems are guttural, twisted, amazing (re: the way she uses blood and blood clot...)
the best poetry for new love or old love or any love.
What a lovely little collection. Engaging. Examines desire in a very beautifully sexual, yet sexually understated way.
1 like · like · see review
The way Sexton approaches love makes me weak in the knees. Gorgeous, soul-rending poetry -- definitely my favorite collection, ever. I have read this through many, many times and find something new on each reading... but usually, if nothing else, Sexton reminds me to be present in love, cultivate its details, and check my analytics at the door.
Mar 18, 2008
Emily
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone who has ever been in love with the wrong person
Shelves:
poetry,
booksofthepast
Could Anne Sexton's poetry BE any sadder? I suppose it could, and therein lies the genius of it. It straddles the boundaries of grief and joy with brilliance. I love this book and the notion that love poems can be grim and full of adulterous desires. Anne Sexton, I wish you'd written a poem about me.
Sad, witty, and idiosyncratic. Took a while to finish because, well, you know, it's a book about love.
"You All Know The Story of the Other Woman," is my favorite poem in the book. And the best line, "She is his selection, part time. You know the story too! Look, when it is over he places her, like a phone, back on the hook."
Sep 28, 2008
Magda
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
sexton lovers, hopeless romantics, hopeful romantics who wish to become hopeless
Shelves:
indispensable
One of my favorites. Knife-twisting in your inside-feeling parts. Completely necessary. If I had enough skin I would have "Eighteen Days Without You" tattooed somewhere.
favorites:
"knee song"
"us"
"now"
"the ballad of a the lonely masturbator"
"just once"
and of course,
"for my lover, returning to his wife"
"knee song"
"us"
"now"
"the ballad of a the lonely masturbator"
"just once"
and of course,
"for my lover, returning to his wife"
Wonderful, and meant to be read in order, in your boudoir, with a glass of port, and with your lover.
seriously, my favorite book of poetry. absolutely heartbreaking. i would marry anne sexton.
A gift from my beautiful, fellow poet Mary. . . great stuff.
she was the best. period.
Erotic poetry - gotta love it!
Good ice storm reading material.
Changed my adolescent life.
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Anne Sexton once told a journalist that her fans thought she got better, but actually, she just became a poet. These words are characteristic of a talented poet that received therapy for years, but committed suicide in spite of this. The poetry fed her art, but it also imprisoned her in a way.
Her parents didn’t expect much of her academically, and after completing her schooling at Rogers Hall, sh...more
More about Anne Sexton...
Her parents didn’t expect much of her academically, and after completing her schooling at Rogers Hall, sh...more
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“Being kissed on the back
of the knee is a moth
at the windowscreen....”
—
75 people liked it
of the knee is a moth
at the windowscreen....”
“Yesterday I did not want to be borrowed but this is the typewriter that sits before me and love is where yesterday is at.”
—
29 people liked it
More quotes…
Jun 29, 2007 06:13am
Jun 29, 2007 06:36am
I don't know either of you, but I am so glad both of you wrote what you did about this tremendous poem - I first encountered it to...more
May 01, 2008 06:18pm