Words

By Anne Sexton

 

Be careful of words,

even the miraculous ones.

For the miraculous we do our best,

sometimes they swarm like insects

and leave not a sting but a kiss.

They can be as good as fingers.

They can be as trusty as the rock

you stick your bottom on.

But they can be both daisies and bruises.

Yet I am in love with words.

They are doves falling out of the ceiling.

They are six holy oranges sitting in my lap.

They are the trees, the legs of summer,

and the sun, its passionate face.

Yet often they fail me.

I have so much I want to say,

so many stories, images, proverbs, etc.

But the words aren't good enough,

the wrong ones kiss me.

Sometimes I fly like an eagle

but with the wings of a wren.

But I try to take care

and be gentle to them.

Words and eggs must be handled with care.

Once broken they are impossible

things to repair.

 

The poem Words, by Anne Sexton may be interpreted in many ways.   In this poem, and in many of Sexton’s works, she uses a metaphor to illustrate what she wishes to say.   My take on the poem is that she is actually talking about the relationship between her parents and her.  In the line, "words and eggs must be handled with care, once broken they are impossible to repair," I think Sexton is talking about her parents as "words."  The egg, in this case would be her, as she would be the offspring of her parents.  Eggs also seem to symbolize innocence and fragility.  I researched her life, to understand her a bit better, and discovered that she actually had a somewhat abusive home life.  Her parents often mistreated her, but at the same time they expressed love for her. 

The idea of confessional poetry is to really get an idea of what is inside the poet's head.  This poem, really shows an inner turmoil or confusion.  Sexton's use of words illustrated such a confusion of how she actually feels about the subject.  She explains "I am in love with words," and "They are the trees, the legs of summer, and the sun, its passionate face,"  but that "they often fail me."  Anne Sexton is explaining how much she loves the subject, and how there are many great aspects of it, but that it is not perfect.  Sexton also clarifies that she tries to take care of words, but they are fragile.  The clues of this poem made me to believe that this poem is about her home life, and the fragile relationship she had with her parents.  She felt it to be her fault, when things were not going well, and she loved her parents despite the mixed signals and mistreatment.