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Anne Sexton Quotes

Poet

Anne Sexton was an American poet known for her confessional and autobiographical poetry. Her works delved deeply into personal pain, family relationships, and social issues, profoundly influencing 20th-century poetry.

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Famous Anne Sexton Quotes

“After a disaster strikes, it can be very devastating and very challenging. You're going to need a lot of strength and energy, and the American Red Cross suggests you go for the high protein items.”

Needs Energy Challenges Red Crosses Strikes Disaster Items Protein Red Cross American Red Cross

Author:Anne Sexton

“True. There is a beautiful Jesus. He is frozen to his bones like a chunk of beef. How desperately he wanted to pull his arms in! How desperately I touch his vertical and horizontal axes! But I can't. Need is not quite belief.”

Needs I Can God Wanted Beautiful Religion Jesus Belief Christ Arms Jesus Christ Bones Frozen Beef Chunks Axes Vertical Horizontal

Book:Selected Poems of Anne Sexton

Source: Selected Poems of Anne Sexton

“What's the point of fighting the dollars when all you need is a warm bed? When the dog barks you let him in. All we need is someone to let us in. And one other thing: to consider the lilies in the field.”

Life Needs Fighting Dog Fields Bed Dollars Warm Lilies Bark

Book:The death notebooks

Source: The death notebooks

“I will be steel! I will build a steel bridge over my need! I will build a bomb shelter over my heart! But my future is a secret. It is as shy as a mole.”

Needs Heart Secret Strength My Heart Bridges Bombs Shy Resolve Shelter Steel Stoicism My Future Moles Bomb Shelters

Book:Words for Dr. Y.: uncollected poems with three stories

Source: Words for Dr. Y.: uncollected poems with three stories

“And within the house ashes are being stuffed into my marriage, fury is lapping the walls, dishes crack on the shelves, a strangler needs my throat, the daughter has ceased to eat anything.”

Needs House Wall Daughter Divorce Cracks Throat Ashes Dishes Shelves Fury

Book:45 Mercy Street

Source: 45 Mercy Street

“Need is not quite belief.”

Needs Believe Reality Belief

Book:Selected Poems of Anne Sexton

Source: Selected Poems of Anne Sexton

“Death, I need my little addiction to you. I need that tiny voice who, even as I rise from the sea, all woman, all there, says kill me, kill me.”

Needs Littles Voice Sea Addiction Tiny Kill Me

Book:Words for Dr. Y.: uncollected poems with three stories

Source: Words for Dr. Y.: uncollected poems with three stories

“Look to your heart that flutters in and out like a moth. God is not indifferent to your need. You have a thousand prayers but God has one.”

Needs Looks Heart Prayer Thousand Indifferent Need You Moths

Author:Anne Sexton

“And tonight our skin, our bones, that have survived our fathers, will meet, delicate in the hold, fastened together in an intricate lock. Then one of us will shout, "My need is more desperate!" and I will eat you slowly with kisses even though the killer in you has gotten out.”

Needs Together Father Kissing Skins Bones Desperate Tonight Delicate Killers Locks Survived Our Father Intricate

Book:Love Poems

Source: Love Poems

“Talk to me about sadness. I talk about it too much in my own head but I never mind others talking about it either; I occasionally feel like I tremendously need others to talk about it as well.”

Needs Feels Mind Wells My Own Talking Too Much Sadness Talk To Me

Author:Anne Sexton

“... and my love stays bitterly glowing, spasms of it will not sleep, and I am helpless and thirsty and need shade but there is no one to cover me- not even God.”

Needs Heart Sleep Broken Broken Heart Shade Helpless Glowing Thirsty

Book:45 Mercy Street

Source: 45 Mercy Street

About the Author

Born: November 9, 1928
Died: October 4, 1974
Known for: Poet
Quotes: 369

Books & Sources

Selected Poems of Anne SextonRelated source material

The Awful Rowing Toward GodRelated source material

Anne Sexton: A Self-portrait in LettersRelated source material

Words for Dr. Y.: uncollected poems with three storiesRelated source material

TransformationsRelated source material

45 Mercy StreetRelated source material

Love PoemsRelated source material

The death notebooksRelated source material

Selected poemsRelated source material

Anne Sexton: A Self Portrait in LettersRelated source material

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