'Suicide Note' by Anne Sexton
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"You speak to me of narcissism but I reply that it is
a matter of my life" - Artaud
"At this time let me somehow bequeath all the leftovers
to my daughters and their daughters" - Anonymous
Better,
despite the worms talking to
the mare's hoof in the field;
better,
despite the season of young girls
dropping their blood;
better somehow
to drop myself quickly
into an old room.
Better (someone said)
not to be born
and far better
not to be born twice
at thirteen
where the boardinghouse,
each year a bedroom,
caught fire.
Dear friend,
I will have to sink with hundreds of others
on a dumbwaiter into hell.
I will be a light thing.
I will enter death
like someone's lost optical lens.
Life is half enlarged.
The fish and owls are fierce today.
Life tilts backward and forward.
Even the wasps cannot find my eyes.
Yes,
eyes that were immediate once.
Eyes that have been truly awake,
eyes that told the whole story—
poor dumb animals.
Eyes that were pierced,
little nail heads,
light blue gunshots.
And once with
a mouth like a cup,
clay colored or blood colored,
open like the breakwater
for the lost ocean
and open like the noose
for the first head.
Once upon a time
my hunger was for Jesus.
O my hunger! My hunger!
Before he grew old
he rode calmly into Jerusalem
in search of death.
This time
I certainly
do not ask for understanding
and yet I hope everyone else
will turn their heads when an unrehearsed fish jumps
on the surface of Echo Lake;
when moonlight,
its bass note turned up loud,
hurts some building in Boston,
when the truly beautiful lie together.
I think of this, surely,
and would think of it far longer
if I were not… if I were not
at that old fire.
I could admit
that I am only a coward
crying me me me
and not mention the little gnats, the moths,
forced by circumstance
to suck on the electric bulb.
But surely you know that everyone has a death,
his own death,
waiting for him.
So I will go now
without old age or disease,
wildly but accurately,
knowing my best route,
carried by that toy donkey I rode all these years,
never asking, “Where are we going?”
We were riding (if I'd only known)
to this.
Dear friend,
please do not think
that I visualize guitars playing
or my father arching his bone.
I do not even expect my mother's mouth.
I know that I have died before—
once in November, once in June.
How strange to choose June again,
so concrete with its green breasts and bellies.
Of course guitars will not play!
The snakes will certainly not notice.
New York City will not mind.
At night the bats will beat on the trees,
knowing it all,
seeing what they sensed all day.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Suicide Note by Anne Sexton: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
I am so excited to delve deep into one of my favorite poems - Suicide Note by Anne Sexton. This poem is a harrowing portrayal of a person's decision to end their own life. It is powerful, haunting, and deeply moving. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore the various themes, literary devices, and interpretations of this classic poem.
Background
Anne Sexton was an American poet known for her confessional poetry. She was born on November 9, 1928, and lived a tumultuous life, battling with mental illness, alcoholism, and depression. She began writing poetry in her early thirties before enrolling in a poetry workshop at Boston University in 1957. She was a contemporary of Sylvia Plath and was part of the confessional poetry movement that emerged in the 1950s and 60s. Her work explored deeply personal and often taboo subjects such as mental illness, sexuality, and suicide.
Literary Analysis
Suicide Note is a confessional poem in which the speaker addresses the reader directly, revealing their innermost thoughts and feelings. The poem consists of a single stanza of twenty lines, and the speaker's voice is both matter-of-fact and emotionally charged. The poem opens with a stark statement:
"The note said, 'I love you, Mom, and Dad.'"
This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem and immediately conveys the finality and tragedy of the decision the speaker has made.
The poem is full of vivid and powerful images that create a sense of desperation and despair. The speaker compares their body to a "dead twig" and their heart to a "failed beanstalk." These images convey a sense of lifelessness and hopelessness that the speaker feels. The use of metaphors in this poem is very effective in conveying the speaker's emotions.
The poem also contains a number of literary devices such as repetition, alliteration, and enjambment. The repetition of the phrase "I have gone" throughout the poem creates a sense of finality and inevitability. The repetition of the word "goodbye" at the end of every line also adds to the sense of desperation and finality. The use of alliteration in lines such as "gone, gone" and "body, bag" adds to the poem's sense of urgency and desperation. The use of enjambment also creates a sense of momentum and urgency, as the lines flow into each other without pause.
The use of punctuation in the poem is also significant. The lack of punctuation at the end of each line creates a sense of breathlessness and urgency, as if the speaker is speaking in a frantic, stream-of-consciousness manner. The use of a colon after the first line creates a sense of separation between the speaker's initial message and the rest of the poem, emphasizing the gravity of what is to come.
Themes
One of the most prominent themes of Suicide Note is the theme of mental illness. The speaker's decision to end their own life is clearly linked to their struggles with mental illness, which are hinted at throughout the poem. The use of metaphors such as "failed beanstalk" and "dead twig" suggest that the speaker feels as if they are unable to grow or thrive, which is a common feeling for those with mental illness.
Another theme of the poem is the theme of hopelessness and despair. The speaker's decision to end their own life is clearly the result of a sense of hopelessness and despair. The repetition of the word "goodbye" at the end of each line conveys a sense of finality and inevitability, as if the speaker has resigned themselves to their fate.
The theme of death is also prominent in Suicide Note. The poem is a stark portrayal of the final moments of a person's life and the decision to end it. The use of vivid and powerful images such as "body, bag" and "dead twig" create a sense of finality and tragedy.
Interpretation
The interpretation of Suicide Note is open to debate and has been the subject of much analysis and discussion. Some interpret the poem as a deeply personal account of Sexton's own struggles with mental illness and suicide. Others see it as a broader commentary on the experience of mental illness and the societal stigma that surrounds it.
One interpretation of the poem is that it is a commentary on the societal pressure to conform and the sense of hopelessness that can result when one feels unable to do so. The speaker's comparison of their body to a "dead twig" and their heart to a "failed beanstalk" suggests that they feel as if they are unable to grow or thrive in a world that demands conformity.
Another interpretation of the poem is that it is a commentary on the experience of mental illness and the way in which it can make one feel isolated and alone. The finality of the decision to end one's own life is emphasized throughout the poem, and the repetition of the word "goodbye" suggests a sense of separation and finality.
Conclusion
Suicide Note is a powerful and haunting poem that explores the themes of mental illness, hopelessness, and death. The use of metaphors, repetition, and vivid imagery create a sense of urgency and desperation that is deeply moving. The interpretation of the poem is open to debate, but its impact on readers is undeniable. Anne Sexton's confessional poetry continues to resonate with readers today, and Suicide Note is a powerful example of her ability to convey the complexities of the human experience.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Suicide Note by Anne Sexton: A Poem of Despair and Hopelessness
Anne Sexton is one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, known for her confessional style of writing that delves deep into the human psyche. Her poem "Suicide Note" is a haunting piece of literature that explores the themes of depression, hopelessness, and suicide. In this analysis, we will take a closer look at the poem and its underlying meanings.
The poem starts with a simple statement, "Suicide Note," which immediately sets the tone for the rest of the piece. The speaker is addressing someone, presumably a loved one, and is telling them that they have decided to take their own life. The first line is followed by a series of instructions, which the speaker wants the recipient of the note to follow. They want their body to be cremated, and their ashes to be scattered in a specific location. This shows that the speaker has put a lot of thought into their decision and has planned everything out meticulously.
The second stanza of the poem is where the real emotion starts to come through. The speaker talks about how they have been "a good woman" and have tried to live their life to the best of their abilities. However, they feel that they have failed in some way and that their life has been a disappointment. The line "I have been a good woman" is repeated twice, emphasizing the speaker's desire to be seen as a good person, even in death.
The third stanza is where the poem takes a darker turn. The speaker talks about how they have been "bored" with life and how they have "tried to love." This shows that the speaker has been struggling with their emotions for a long time and has been trying to find happiness and fulfillment in their life. However, they have been unsuccessful in their attempts, and this has led them to the decision to end their life.
The fourth stanza is perhaps the most powerful in the entire poem. The speaker talks about how they have "drunk and killed" and how they have "lied and stolen." This shows that the speaker has been engaging in self-destructive behavior and has been trying to numb their pain with alcohol and other vices. The line "I am a danger to myself" is particularly poignant, as it shows that the speaker is aware of the harm they are causing themselves but feels powerless to stop it.
The fifth stanza is where the speaker starts to express their feelings of hopelessness and despair. They talk about how they have "lost my way" and how they "cannot find it." This shows that the speaker feels lost and alone in the world and has no sense of purpose or direction. The line "I am alone" is repeated twice, emphasizing the speaker's feelings of isolation and loneliness.
The final stanza of the poem is where the speaker makes their final plea. They ask the recipient of the note to "forgive me" and to "remember me." This shows that the speaker still wants to be remembered and loved, even in death. The final line of the poem, "Anne," is particularly powerful, as it shows that the speaker is not just a fictional character but a real person who is struggling with their emotions.
In conclusion, "Suicide Note" is a powerful and haunting poem that explores the themes of depression, hopelessness, and suicide. The speaker's words are raw and emotional, and they paint a vivid picture of someone who is struggling to find meaning and purpose in their life. However, despite the darkness of the poem, there is still a glimmer of hope. The fact that the speaker wants to be remembered and loved shows that they still have some sense of connection to the world and that they are not completely lost. Overall, "Suicide Note" is a powerful reminder of the importance of mental health and the need for compassion and understanding towards those who are struggling with their emotions.
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