Anne+Sexton



Anne Sexton, born in 1928, was a deeply depressed and mentally ill poet. When she suffered her second mental breakdown in 1955, "She was encouraged by her doctor to pursue an interest in writing poetry she had developed in high school" (Poets.org 1). Anne Sexton suffered many traumatic experiences in her life, from sexual abuse from her parents and her father's alcoholic tendencies, to the death of the woman that essentially raised her. Sexton's poetry conveyed her deepest feelings and emotions, and she used her poetry as an outlet. Her expressive and personal poetry helped other poets to open up and express themselves through their own poetry. Anne Sexton's exploration of personal issues through her writing rewrote the rules on what poetry was supposed to be about. Her personal life was put up for anyone to read. Although she received much criticism and there was much controversy over her work, the subjects that sparked concern was overlooked due to her immense talent.

"Anne Sexton." //Poets.org.// Academy of American Poets, 1997. Web. 7 May 2013.