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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

“To be without God is to be a snake / who wants to swallow an elephant.”

Want God Elephants Snakes Without God

Book:The Awful Rowing Toward God

Source: The Awful Rowing Toward God

“I want to kiss God on His nose and watch Him sneeze and so do you. Not out of disrespect. Out of pique. Out of a man-to-man thing.”

Men Want God Jesus Christ Watches Kissing Jesus Christ Noses Disrespect Pique

Author:Anne Sexton

“Then God spoke to me and said: People say only good things about Christmas. If they want to say something bad, they whisper.”

People Ifs Want Said God Jesus Christ Jesus Christ Good Things Christmas Spokes

Book:Selected Poems of Anne Sexton

Source: Selected Poems of Anne Sexton

“The town is silent. The night boils with eleven stars. Oh starry starry night! This is how I want to die.”

Want Night Dies Stars Towns Silent Eleven Wanting To Die I Want To Die Starry Night

Book:Selected Poems of Anne Sexton

Source: Selected Poems of Anne Sexton

“Oh thumb, I want a drink it is dark, where are the big people, when will I get there...?”

People Want Bigs Dark Childhood Drink Thumbs

Book:The death notebooks

Source: The death notebooks

“Inside many of us is a small old man who wants to get out.”

Men Want Age Old Age Old Man

Book:Transformations

Source: Transformations

“Images are probably the most important part of the poem. First of all you want to tell a story, but images are what are going to shore it up and get to the heart of the matter.”

Want Firsts Heart Important Matter Stories Shore

Author:Anne Sexton

“O starry night, This is how I want to die”

Want Night Dies Wanting To Die I Want To Die Starry Night

Book:Selected Poems of Anne Sexton

Source: Selected Poems of Anne Sexton

“Love? Be it man. Be it woman. It must be a wave you want to glide in on, give your body to it, give your laugh to it, give, when the gravelly sand takes you, your tears to the land. To love another is something like prayer and can't be planned, you just fall into its arms because your belief undoes your disbelief.”

Men Want Giving Body Fall Belief Prayer Love Is Laughing Land Tears Arms Wave Your Body Sand Disbelief

Author:Anne Sexton

“Suicides have a special language. Like carpenters they want to know which tools. They never ask why build.”

Knows Want Asks Language Special Tools Suicide Carpenter

Author:Anne Sexton

“Yesterday I did not want to be borrowed but this is the typewriter that sits before me and love is where yesterday is at.”

Want Love Is And Love Yesterday Borrowed Typewriters

Book:Love Poems

Source: Love Poems

“But suicides have a special language. Like carpenters they want to know which tools. They never ask why build. Twice I have so simply declared myself, have possessed the enemy, eaten the enemy, have taken on his craft, his magic.”

Knows Want Asks Language Enemy Taken Magic Special Tools Suicide Crafts Possessed Carpenter

Book:Selected Poems of Anne Sexton

Source: Selected Poems of Anne Sexton

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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