Anne Sexton Quotes - Page 4

Quotes about:

To tell the truth
days are all the same size
and words aren't much company.

Anne Sexton

Size, Telling The Truth, Company

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Being kissed on the back of the knee is a moth at the windowscreen.

Anne Sexton

Knees, Moths

Anne Sexton (1999). “Love Poems”, p.43, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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Daisies in water are the longest lasting
flower you can give to someone.
Fact.
Buy daisies.
Not roses.

Anne Sexton

Flower, Giving, Water

Anne Sexton (1978). “Words for Dr. Y.: uncollected poems with three stories”, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH)

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If I could blame it on all the mothers and fathers of the world, they of the lessons, the pellets of power, they of the love surrounding you like batter ... Blame it on God perhaps? He of the first opening that pushed us all into our first mistakes? No, I'll blame it on Man For Man is God and man is eating the earth up like a candy bar and not one of them can be left alone with the ocean for it is known he will gulp it all down. The stars (possibly) are safe. At least for the moment. The stars are pears that no one can reach, even for a wedding. Perhaps for a death.

Anne Sexton

Mother, Stars, Father

Anne Sexton (1975). “The Awful Rowing Toward God”, Boston : Houghton Mifflin

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The stars are pears
that no one can reach,
even for a wedding.
Perhaps for a death.

Anne Sexton

Stars, Pears

Anne Sexton (1975). “The Awful Rowing Toward God”, Boston : Houghton Mifflin

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It's a little mad, but I believe I am many people. When I am writing a poem, I feel I am the person who should have written it.

Anne Sexton

Believe, Writing, Self

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Though rain curses the window let the poem be made.

Anne Sexton

Rain, Window, Made

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It is June. I am tired of being brave.

Anne Sexton

Tired, June, Brave

Anne Sexton, Diane Wood Middlebrook, Diana Hume George (2000). “Selected Poems of Anne Sexton”, p.43, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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A woman who writes feels too much.

Anne Sexton

Writing, Too Much, Feels

Anne Sexton, Linda Gray Sexton, Lois Ames (2004). “Anne Sexton: A Self-portrait in Letters”, p.86, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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Poetry to me is prayer.

Anne Sexton

Prayer, Poetry

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Psychiatry is a dirty mirror.

Anne Sexton

Dirty, Mirrors, Psychiatry

Anne Sexton, Linda Gray Sexton, Lois Ames (2004). “Anne Sexton: A Self-portrait in Letters”, p.121, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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Writers are such phonies: they sometimes have wise insights but they don't live by them at all. That's what writers are like...you think they know something, but usually they are just messes.

Anne Sexton

Wise, Thinking, Sometimes

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I think it will be a miracle if I don't someday end up killing myself.

Anne Sexton

Suicide, Thinking, Miracle

Anne Sexton, Linda Gray Sexton, Lois Ames (2004). “Anne Sexton: A Self-portrait in Letters”, p.255, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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Poems aren't postcards to send home.

Anne Sexton

Home, Postcards

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I've grown tired of love
You are the trouble with me
I watch you walk right by

Anne Sexton

Love You, Tired, Watches

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Somebody who should have been born is gone.

Anne Sexton

Should Have, Abortion, Gone

Anne Sexton, Diane Wood Middlebrook, Diana Hume George (2000). “Selected Poems of Anne Sexton”, p.56, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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I am younger each year at the first snow.

Anne Sexton

Years, Snow, Firsts

Anne Sexton, Linda Gray Sexton, Lois Ames (2004). “Anne Sexton: A Self-portrait in Letters”, p.45, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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Maybe I am becoming a hermit, opening the door for only a few special animals? Maybe my skull is too crowded and it has no opening through which to feed it soup?

Anne Sexton

Animal, Doors, Skulls

Anne Sexton (1975). “The Awful Rowing Toward God”, Boston : Houghton Mifflin

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It would be pleasant to be drunk.

Anne Sexton

Drunk, Would Be, Pleasant

Anne Sexton (1964). “Selected poems”

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The day of fire is coming, the thrush
will fly ablaze like a little sky rocket.

Anne Sexton

Fire, Sky, Rockets

Anne Sexton (1974). “The death notebooks”, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH)

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I have forgiven all the old actors for dying.
A new one comes on with the same lines,
like large white growths, in his mouth.
The dancers come on from the wings,
perfectly mated.

Anne Sexton

Wings, White, Dancer

Anne Sexton (1964). “Selected poems”

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It is in the small things we see it.
The child's first step,
as awesome as an earthquake.
The first time you rode a bike,
wallowing up the sidewalk.

Anne Sexton

Courage, Children, Earthquakes

Anne Sexton (1975). “The Awful Rowing Toward God”, Boston : Houghton Mifflin

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Yes, I know.
Death sits with his key in my lock.
Not one day is taken for granted.
Even nursery rhymes have put me in hock.

Anne Sexton

Taken, Carpe Diem, Keys

Anne Sexton (1978). “Words for Dr. Y.: uncollected poems with three stories”, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH)

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I will be steel!
I will build a steel bridge over my need!
I will build a bomb shelter over my heart!
But my future is a secret.
It is as shy as a mole.

Anne Sexton

Strength, Heart, Bridges

Anne Sexton (1978). “Words for Dr. Y.: uncollected poems with three stories”, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH)

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Don’t worry if they say you’re crazy. They said that about me and yet I was saner than all of them. I knew. No matter. You know. Insane or sane, you know. It’s a good thing to know - no matter what they call it.

Anne Sexton

Crazy, Worry, Insane

Anne Sexton, Linda Gray Sexton, Lois Ames (2004). “Anne Sexton: A Self-portrait in Letters”, p.292, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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Born: November 9, 1928
Died: October 4, 1974
Occupation: Poet
Cite this Page: Citation

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