ANNE SEXTON / THE BLACK ART

from THE COMPLETE POEMS C 1981 by Linda Gray Sexton and Loring Conant, Jr. Houghton Mifflin Company Boston THE BLACK ART A woman who writes feels too much, those trances and portents! As if cycles and children and islands weren't enough; as if mourners and gossips and vegetables were never enough. She thinks she can warn the stars. A writer is essentially a spy. Dear love, I am that girl. A man who writes knows too much, such spells and fetiches! As if erections and congresses and products weren't enough; as if machines and galleons and wars were never enough. With used furniture he makes a tree. A writer is essentially a crook. Dear love, you are that man. Never loving ourselves, hating even our shoes and hats, we love each other, precious, precious. Our hands are light blue and gentle. Our eyes are full of terrible confessions. But when we marry, the children leave in disgust. There is too much food and no one left over to eat up all the weird abundance. (Click on the title above to get to a YouTube video of Anne Sexton "rare clips" - not reading this particular poem.

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