ext_85039 ([identity profile] seamusd.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] greatpoetry2010-01-09 11:54 pm
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Anne Sexton

The Kiss

My mouth blooms like a cut.
I've been wronged all year, tedious
nights, nothing but rough elbows in them
and delicate boxes of Kleenex calling crybaby
crybaby , you fool!
Before today my body was useless.
Now it's tearing at its square corners.
It's tearing old Mary's garments off, knot by knot
and see -- Now it's shot full of these electric bolts.
Zing! A resurrection!
Once it was a boat, quite wooden
and with no business, no salt water under it
and in need of some paint. It was no more
than a group of boards. But you hoisted her, rigged her.
She's been elected.
My nerves are turned on. I hear them like
musical instruments. Where there was silence
the drums, the strings are incurably playing. You did this.
Pure genius at work. Darling, the composer has stepped
into fire.

[identity profile] assugostars.livejournal.com 2010-01-10 07:43 am (UTC)(link)
god i love this one

[identity profile] novapsyche.livejournal.com 2010-01-10 06:33 pm (UTC)(link)
One of Sexton's masterpieces. Thanks for posting.

(By the way, I remember the piece having separate stanzas. See here (http://www.americanpoems.com/poets/annesexton/632).)
Edited 2010-01-10 18:36 (UTC)

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/everette1_/ 2010-01-10 09:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Anne Sexton's book, Transformations re-entered my memory, recently. This appearance made my day.

[identity profile] tom-sizemore.livejournal.com 2010-01-10 11:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Perfect.