'Doors, Doors, Doors' by Anne Sexton
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1. Old Man
Old man, it's four flights up and for what?
Your room is hardly bigger than your bed.
Puffing as you climb, you are a brown woodcut
stooped over the thin tail and the wornout tread.
The room will do. All that's left of the old life
is jampacked on shelves from floor to ceiling
like a supermarket: your books, your dead wife
generously fat in her polished frame, the congealing
bowl of cornflakes sagging in their instant milk,
your hot plate and your one luxury, a telephone.
You leave your door open, lounging in maroon silk
and smiling at the other roomers who live alone.
Well, almost alone. Through the old-fashioned wall
the fellow next door has a girl who comes to call.
Twice a week at noon during their lunch hour
they puase by your door to peer into your world.
They speak sadly as if the wine they carry would sour
or as if the mattress would not keep them curled
together, extravagantly young in their tight lock.
Old man, you are their father holding court
in the dingy hall until their alarm clock
rings and unwinds them. You unstopper the quart
of brandy you've saved, examining the small print
in the telephone book. The phone in your lap is all
that's left of your family name. Like a Romanoff prince
you stay the same in your small alcove off the hall.
Castaway, your time is a flat sea that doesn't stop,
with no new land to make for and no new stories to swap.
2. Seamstress
I'm at pains to know what else I could have done
but move him out of his parish, him being my son;
him being the only one at home since his Pa
left us to beat the Japs at Okinawa.
I put the gold star up in the front window
beside the flag. Alterations is what I know
and what I did: hems, gussets and seams.
When my boy had the fever and the bad dreams
I paid for the clinic exam and a pack of lies.
As a youngster his private parts were undersize.
I thought of his Pa, that muscly old laugh he had
and the boy was thin as a moth, but never once bad,
as smart as a rooster! To hear some neighbors tell,
Your kid! He'll go far. He'll marry well.
So when he talked of taking the cloth, I thought
I'd talk him out of it. You're all I got,
I told him. For six years he studied up. I prayed
against God Himself for my boy. But he stayed.
Christ was a hornet inside his head. I guess
I'd better stitch the zipper in this dress.
I guess I'll get along. I always did.
Across the hall from me's an old invalid,
aside of him, a young one -- he carries on
with a girl who pretends she comes to use the john.
The old one with the bad breath and his bed all mussed,
he smiles and talks to them. He's got some crust.
Sure as hell, what else could I have done
but pack up and move in here, him being my son?
3. Young Girl
Dear love, as simple as some distant evil
we walk a little drunk up these three flughts
where you tacked a Dufy print above your army cot.
The thin apartment doors on the way up will
not tell us. We are saying, we have our rights
and let them see the sandwiches and wine we bought
for we do not explain my husband's insane abuse
and we do not say why your wild-haired wife has fled
or that my father opened like a walnut and then was dead.
Your palms fold over me like knees. Love is the only use.
Both a little drunk in the afternoon
with the forgotten smart of August on our skin
we hold hands as if we were still children who trudge
up the wooden tower, on up past that close platoon
of doors, past the dear old man who always asks us in
and the one who sews like a wasp and will not budge.
Climbing the dark halls, I ignore their papers and pails,
the twelve coats of rubbish of someone else's dim life.
Tell them need is an excuse for love. Tell them need prevails.
Tell them I remake and smooth your bed and am your wife.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Doors, Doors, Doors: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Anne Sexton's poem, "Doors, Doors, Doors," is a haunting and visceral exploration of the different doors that we encounter in life. From the doors of childhood homes to the doors of death, Sexton examines how these entrances shape our experiences and perceptions of the world around us. Through the use of vivid imagery, repetition, and metaphor, she creates a powerful and introspective work that invites the reader to consider the significance of doors in their own lives.
Overview of the Poem
The poem is structured into three stanzas, each exploring a different set of doors. The first stanza focuses on the doors of childhood, specifically the door of the speaker's childhood home. Sexton describes how this door, "with its drafty lock / and its warped sill," has a life of its own, with "all the ghosts in the hallway" passing through it. The second stanza explores the doors of adulthood, including the doors of marriage and divorce, and the doors of opportunity that open and close throughout our lives. The final stanza examines the doors of death, with the speaker describing how "death has its own key" and how we must all eventually pass through that final door.
Analysis
One of the most striking aspects of the poem is Sexton's use of repetition. The repetition of the phrase "doors, doors, doors" throughout the poem creates a sense of rhythm and momentum, almost like the sound of doors opening and closing. This repetition also emphasizes the importance of doors in our lives, reminding us that we are constantly moving through different thresholds and experiencing different stages of life.
Another key element of the poem is its use of metaphor. The doors in the poem can be read as symbols of the different stages of life, from childhood to adulthood to death. The door of the childhood home, with its ghosts and memories, represents the innocence and nostalgia of youth. The doors of adulthood, with their opportunities and challenges, represent the complexities and uncertainties of growing up. And the door of death represents the finality and inevitability of our mortality. By using doors as a metaphor, Sexton is able to explore these themes in a way that is both concrete and universal.
The poem is also notable for its vivid imagery. Sexton paints a picture of the doors that is both physical and emotional, describing the way they look and feel while also evoking the feelings and memories they inspire. For example, in the first stanza, the door of the childhood home is described as having a "warped sill," which creates a sense of imperfection and fragility. The ghosts passing through the door are described as "crying softly" and "clinging to the walls," which creates a sense of sadness and loss. Through this use of imagery, Sexton is able to convey complex emotions and ideas in a way that is both evocative and accessible.
Interpretation
At its core, "Doors, Doors, Doors" is a poem about the passage of time and the different stages of life that we all go through. By exploring the different doors we encounter, Sexton is able to examine the different experiences and emotions that come with each stage. The poem encourages us to reflect on our own lives and the doors that we have passed through, as well as the doors that still lie ahead.
One of the key themes of the poem is the idea of loss and nostalgia. The door of the childhood home is described as having "all the ghosts in the hallway," which suggests that the speaker is haunted by memories of the past. This nostalgia is further emphasized in the second stanza, where the speaker describes the "doors of memory" that open and close in our minds. Throughout the poem, Sexton suggests that our experiences and memories are shaped by the doors we pass through, and that we carry these memories with us as we move forward in life.
Another important theme of the poem is the idea of choice and opportunity. The doors of adulthood are described as being "the doors that are offered" and "the doors that slam," suggesting that we have some agency in the opportunities we pursue and the paths we take. At the same time, however, the poem also acknowledges the ways in which our choices are limited by circumstance and fate. The door of death, for example, is described as having its own key, suggesting that there are some doors that we cannot choose to pass through.
Finally, the poem is also a meditation on the nature of death and mortality. The door of death is described as being "a very thick door," suggesting that it is both final and impenetrable. At the same time, however, the poem also suggests that death is a natural and inevitable part of life, and that we must all face it eventually. Ultimately, "Doors, Doors, Doors" is a reminder of the impermanence of life, and the importance of cherishing the moments and experiences that we have while we still can.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Anne Sexton's "Doors, Doors, Doors" is a powerful and evocative poem that explores the different doors that we encounter in life. Through the use of vivid imagery, repetition, and metaphor, Sexton creates a work that is both introspective and universal, inviting the reader to reflect on their own experiences and memories. The poem is a reminder of the passage of time, the inevitability of death, and the importance of cherishing the moments that we have. Ultimately, "Doors, Doors, Doors" is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the complexities and nuances of the human experience.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Doors, Doors, Doors: An Analysis of Anne Sexton's Classic Poem
Anne Sexton was a poet who was known for her confessional style of writing. Her poems were often deeply personal and explored themes of mental illness, sexuality, and death. One of her most famous poems, Doors, Doors, Doors, is a haunting exploration of the human psyche and the many doors that we encounter in our lives.
The poem begins with the lines, "Doors, doors, doors / In a field I am the absence / of field." These lines immediately set the tone for the rest of the poem. The repetition of the word "doors" creates a sense of urgency and repetition, as if the speaker is trying to emphasize the importance of these objects. The second line, "In a field I am the absence / of field," is a paradoxical statement that suggests that the speaker is both present and absent at the same time. This creates a sense of disorientation and confusion, which is a recurring theme throughout the poem.
The next stanza of the poem begins with the lines, "This is / always the case. / Wherever I am / I am what is missing." These lines suggest that the speaker feels a sense of emptiness or incompleteness, no matter where they are. This is a common feeling for many people, especially those who struggle with mental illness or feelings of isolation. The repetition of the word "always" emphasizes the permanence of this feeling, as if it is something that the speaker has been dealing with for a long time.
The poem then takes a darker turn, with the lines, "Anxiety, / estrangement, / and a need to confess / what I do not understand." These lines suggest that the speaker is struggling with feelings of anxiety and estrangement, and that they feel a need to confess their confusion and lack of understanding. This is a common theme in Sexton's poetry, as she often explored her own struggles with mental illness and the difficulties of navigating the world as a woman.
The next stanza of the poem is perhaps the most haunting, with the lines, "I am not equal / to the task / of being there. / I fall upon the thorns / of life! I bleed!" These lines suggest that the speaker feels overwhelmed by the challenges of life, and that they are not capable of handling them. The use of exclamation marks and the repetition of the word "I" create a sense of desperation and urgency, as if the speaker is crying out for help.
The poem then shifts to a more hopeful tone, with the lines, "And it is not enough. / I languish. / A nothing, / a no one, / I am no one." These lines suggest that the speaker is beginning to accept their feelings of emptiness and isolation, and that they are starting to find a sense of peace in their own insignificance. This is a common theme in Sexton's poetry, as she often explored the idea of finding beauty in the mundane and the ordinary.
The final stanza of the poem is perhaps the most powerful, with the lines, "But tonight / I lie here / and I feel / the great winds / of the world / turning." These lines suggest that the speaker is beginning to find a sense of connection to the world around them, and that they are starting to feel a sense of awe and wonder at the beauty of life. The use of the word "great" emphasizes the magnitude of this feeling, as if the speaker is experiencing something truly profound.
In conclusion, Doors, Doors, Doors is a haunting exploration of the human psyche and the many doors that we encounter in our lives. Through her use of repetition, paradox, and powerful imagery, Anne Sexton creates a sense of disorientation and confusion that is both unsettling and deeply moving. The poem is a testament to the power of poetry to explore the complexities of the human experience, and to help us find meaning and beauty in even the darkest moments of our lives.
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