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Poet: Anne Sexton (Anne Sexton Art)
Poem: Wanting to Die
Poem of the Day:
Dec 21 2000
Comment 6 of 6, added on May 19th, 2008 at 12:32 AM.
"Wanting to die" is one of Sexton's third collection of poems "Live or Die". Live or Die is considered the finest collection, because sexton received the Pulitzer Prize in poetry. It is the record of four years of emotional illness, the turns of fears and despair, and suicidal depression. The major theme of this poem, in particularly, and this collection, in generally, is the choice that Sexton must make between life and death.
Consequently Sexton insists to die because of her painful life and bad state. She suffers from many breakdowns as her divorce, the death of her both parents and her aunt, and also the departure of her daughters.
General idea
"Wanting to die" is, quite simply, about wanting to die; it presents the suicide's case in language as austere as Sylvia Plath's, and is remarkable for its dispassionate examination of the helpless "betrayal" of the body.
(Oates 313)
The whole poem gives reasons and explanation for her wish to die. "The almost unnameable lust" corresponds with Freud's theory of the death-drive: a deep urge inside the human ego that pushes the individual towards death.
(Lazaroms 23)
Sexton believes that death will take her to a better place .She also thinks that death is sweeter than life. The reader can feel that Sexton expresses her broken heart as she says "Then the almost unnameable lust returns.", and "and the love, whatever it was, an infection." Thus
Sexton's life has no purpose, and it deals with depression. Consequently she wants to entertain by committing suicide.
Analysis
*The first stanza
Since you ask, most days I cannot remember.
I walk in my clothing, unmarked by that voyage.
Then the almost unnameable lust returns
The poem "Wanting to die" begins with an answer of a question of unknown questioner why do you want to die? Sexton answers this question "since you ask" that means she is in a voyage. This voyage is committing suicide, and she calls it "unnameable lust". She also mentions "returns" which means that this attempt is not the first time to commit suicide. The reader can feel suicide is an instinct, because Sexton describes it "lust" which she longs for.
*The second stanza
Even then I have nothing against life.
I know well the grass blades you mention,
the furniture you have placed under the sun.
In this stanza, Sexton welcomes death when it comes, because she does not want life "Even then I have nothing against life". Death contradicts with life. In the second line "I know well the grass blades you mention" Sexton returns to address the unknown questioner, but this
time she reveals his character. The unknown questioner is God who creates the grass and the sun to support life. God confronts her wish to die by creating them, but she also insists to die.
*The third stanza
But suicides have a special language.
Like carpenters they want to know which tools.
They never ask why build.
This entire stanza expresses and presents Sexton's reasons for her wish. Therefore she defends from death, suicide, as she says "suicides have special language". She also compares it to skillful carpenter who improves his work by using the best methods "tools". Thus the person, who wants to commit suicide, has everything planned out.
*The fourth stanza
Twice I have so simply declared myself,
have possessed the enemy, eaten the enemy,
have taken on his craft, his magic.
Sexton continues answering the same question "Twice I have so simply declared myself". At this time Sexton specifies the number of times that "unnameable lust "has returned. She also mentions suicides as being "so simply" that means suicides are not difficult to commit. However, there is a difficult and hostile relationship to suicide "possessed the enemy, eaten the enemy", she can overcome it as she says "have taken on his craft, his magic". Sexton transforms this voyage "suicide" into something higher by saying "his magic" to increase its importance.
*The fifth stanza
In this way, heavy and thoughtful,
warmer than oil or water,
I have rested, drooling at the mouth-hole.
Sexton is still talking about her voyage. She describes it "heavy and thoughtful"; however she has described it before "so simply". Consequently the reader can understand this voyage as it is neither thoughtless impulse nor effortless surrender. Although it is comforting "warmer than oil or water" and peaceful "I have rested". When she says "drooling at the mouth-hole", the readers can feel that Sexton is under the effect of addiction.
*The sixth stanza
I did not think of my body at needle point.
Even the cornea and the leftover urine were gone.
Suicides have already betrayed the body.
This stanza gives the evidence of Sexton's addiction "my body at needle point". Sexton has a special relationship with her body, because she does not think in it even it is in pain. Consequently suicides have bad characteristics "suicides have already betrayed the body". They allow her ignore her body.
*The seventh stanza
Still-born, they don't always die,
but dazzled, they can't forget a drug so sweet
that even children would look on and smile.
Here Sexton talks about suicides which do not die. She believes that death is a better place where she will not die, but she will be impressed. In this stanza, there is another evidence of her addiction "so sweet that even children would look on and smile". Sexton makes children, who are the symbols of innocence, smile at the sight of it as the suicide is one of their motives.
*The eighth stanza
To thrust all that life under your tongue!--
that, all by itself, becomes a passion.
Death's a sad Bone; bruised, you'd say,
The first line is an interesting line that gives a feeling, which someone desires to live, that she feels but toward death. She considers ending life as a passion, because life is not simple. Then Sexton refers to death "Death's sad Bone" which reveals the concept of death was in her bones, structure, and was build in her body's system. Suicide is in Sexton's mind and body.
*The ninth stanza
and yet she waits for me, year after year,
to so delicately undo an old wound,
to empty my breath from its bad prison
In this stanza, Sexton compares death to a female person "she waits". Unfortunately, death did not take her this time. It is patient, but it has determined to take her one day "year after year". By saying "undo an old wound" Sexton refers to an old pain that she wants death to remove. From here, death begins to change its negative role "sad Bone" to be more positive "undo an old wound". Not only does death remove old pain, but also it will free the present, her body "bad prison.
*The tenth stanza
Balanced there, suicides sometimes meet,
raging at the fruit, a pumped-up moon,
leaving the bread they mistook for a kiss,
Sexton believes that suicides' spirits meet together. She has strong emotions because of suicide's concept which will give her the expected happiness. In this stanza, Sexton shows the reader the betrayal that she feels "leaving the bread they mistook for a kiss".
*The eleventh stanza
leaving the page of the book carelessly open,
something unsaid, the phone off the hook
and the love, whatever it was, an infection.
Finally, suicides are also ready to depart "leaving the page of the book carelessly open". It seems that they want to say something "something unsaid", and "the phone off the hook". No one knows why suicides leave without finishing its business. The reader can extract the reason of their leaving as Sexton says "and the love, whatever it was, an infection". Therefore they leave because of love (someone, life ...) and they are also disappointed. The last line "whatever it was, an infection" creates a sense of deep disillusionment and pain that life has been drawn Sexton off from them. However suicides gave up, they have more to offer than life.
Poetic technique
Language
Sexton uses wonderful expressions and words to prove her idea about suicide. In the first stanza she employs the word "lust" to show the reader how it is important and instinctive. She also uses words like "grass, sun" to prove that her wish is stronger than the effect of them. Then she justifies her idea by saying "suicides have a special language". In this poem, Sexton gives suicide other characteristics "like carpenter, his craft, his magic, thoughtful, warmer" which reveal how suicide is skillful in its work Sexton succeeds to introduce suicide in good appearance to push the reader to commit suicide.
Some of Sexton's expressions clarify that she is drunken as in "a drug so sweet", "my body at needle point", and "drooling at mouth-hole". Sexton is one of the feminist poets, so she compares death to a female "she waits". She also uses two expressions to confirm that suicide in her mind "lust" and in her body's system "sad Bone". In this poem, Sexton gives death a big effective role "undo an old wound", and "to empty my breath from its bad prison". Consequently Sexton succeeds to prove her idea through her significant words and indicative expressions.
Imagery
Sexton's images also help her language to present death as she sees. She does not use a lot of kinds of figures of speech, but her images are expressive as she uses
• Metaphors in "I walk in my clothing", "eaten the enemy", and "empty my breath".
(2, 11, 27)
In the first metaphor, she compares her clothes to a tunnel. In the second one, she resembles the enemy as a food that she has eaten. In the third one, she depicts her breath as a bottle that death will pour. Sexton also uses a lot of
• Personifications in
But suicides have a special language.
have possessed the enemy, eaten the enemy,
have taken on his craft, his magic.
Suicides have already betrayed the body.
Death's a sad Bone; bruised, you'd say,
and yet she waits for me, year after year,
to empty my breath from its bad prison.
Balanced there, suicides sometimes meet
(7, 11, 12, 18, 24, 25, 27, 31)
Sexton uses all these personifications to compare death to a human being. She also uses
• Simile in "But suicide have a special language like carpenters"
(7)
Sexton uses repetition to confirm the meaning.
• Repetition in "have possessed the enemy, eaten the enemy", "year after year".
(11, 25)
Musicality
Anne Sexton employs some alliterations, assonances, and sound pattern to add music to the poem, for example
• Alliteration in
Twice I have so simply declared myself,
but dazzled, they can't forget a drug so sweet
Death's a sad Bone; bruised, you'd say,
Balanced there, suicides sometimes meet
(10, 20, 24, 28)
• Assonance in "warmer than oil or water".
(14)
• Sound pattern in "have possessed the enemy, eaten the enemy".
(7)
Tone
Although the poem talks about Sexton's wish to die, the tone is optimistic. In this poem, Sexton defends from death against life. Therefore she uses optimistic words which make the poem very hopeful. This appears when she praises suicides "have special languages", and "his magic". However, in the last two stanzas the tone begins to transforms into hopeless tone because suicide leaves Sexton without finishing his work "leaving the bread they mistook for a kiss", and "leaving the page of the book carelessly open".
Form
"Wanting to die" is a short poem in free verse that divides its thirty three lines into eleven tercets (three line stanza). The whole poem is an answer of a question.
Conclusion
In "Wanting to die" Sexton notes that her body, her essential physical, is only in a "bad prison" that should be emptied of breath to feel free. Sexton ties to find her freedom through poetry. She wants to remove this crucial and unnecessary prison by the help of death. Therefore her emphasis in her third collection "Live or Die" is not upon confession with its implication of guilt, but upon compassion for herself and for all those who have influenced her personal existence. In this poem, Sexton failed again to commit suicide, but this time was not the last attempt, because Sexton really died by committing suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning in 1974.
yaso from Egypt
Comment 5 of 6, added on May 18th, 2008 at 5:27 PM.
"Wanting to die" is one of Sexton's third collection of poems "Live or Die". Live or Die is considered the finest collection, because sexton received the Pulitzer Prize in poetry. It is the record of four years of emotional illness, the turns of fears and despair, and suicidal depression. The major theme of this poem, in particularly, and this collection, in generally, is the choice that Sexton must make between life and death.
Consequently Sexton insists to die because of her painful life and bad state. She suffers from many breakdowns as her divorce, the death of her both parents and her aunt, and also the departure of her daughters.
General idea
"Wanting to die" is, quite simply, about wanting to die; it presents the suicide's case in language as austere as Sylvia Plath's, and is remarkable for its dispassionate examination of the helpless "betrayal" of the body.
(Oates 313)
The whole poem gives reasons and explanation for her wish to die. "The almost unnameable lust" corresponds with Freud's theory of the death-drive: a deep urge inside the human ego that pushes the individual towards death.
(Lazaroms 23)
Sexton believes that death will take her to a better place .She also thinks that death is sweeter than life. The reader can feel that Sexton expresses her broken heart as she says "Then the almost unnameable lust returns.", and "and the love, whatever it was, an infection." Thus
Sexton's life has no purpose, and it deals with depression. Consequently she wants to entertain by committing suicide.
Analysis
*The first stanza
Since you ask, most days I cannot remember.
I walk in my clothing, unmarked by that voyage.
Then the almost unnameable lust returns
The poem "Wanting to die" begins with an answer of a question of unknown questioner why do you want to die? Sexton answers this question "since you ask" that means she is in a voyage. This voyage is committing suicide, and she calls it "unnameable lust". She also mentions "returns" which means that this attempt is not the first time to commit suicide. The reader can feel suicide is an instinct, because Sexton describes it "lust" which she longs for.
*The second stanza
Even then I have nothing against life.
I know well the grass blades you mention,
the furniture you have placed under the sun.
In this stanza, Sexton welcomes death when it comes, because she does not want life "Even then I have nothing against life". Death contradicts with life. In the second line "I know well the grass blades you mention" Sexton returns to address the unknown questioner, but this
time she reveals his character. The unknown questioner is God who creates the grass and the sun to support life. God confronts her wish to die by creating them, but she also insists to die.
*The third stanza
But suicides have a special language.
Like carpenters they want to know which tools.
They never ask why build.
This entire stanza expresses and presents Sexton's reasons for her wish. Therefore she defends from death, suicide, as she says "suicides have special language". She also compares it to skillful carpenter who improves his work by using the best methods "tools". Thus the person, who wants to commit suicide, has everything planned out.
*The fourth stanza
Twice I have so simply declared myself,
have possessed the enemy, eaten the enemy,
have taken on his craft, his magic.
Sexton continues answering the same question "Twice I have so simply declared myself". At this time Sexton specifies the number of times that "unnameable lust "has returned. She also mentions suicides as being "so simply" that means suicides are not difficult to commit. However, there is a difficult and hostile relationship to suicide "possessed the enemy, eaten the enemy", she can overcome it as she says "have taken on his craft, his magic". Sexton transforms this voyage "suicide" into something higher by saying "his magic" to increase its importance.
*The fifth stanza
In this way, heavy and thoughtful,
warmer than oil or water,
I have rested, drooling at the mouth-hole.
Sexton is still talking about her voyage. She describes it "heavy and thoughtful"; however she has described it before "so simply". Consequently the reader can understand this voyage as it is neither thoughtless impulse nor effortless surrender. Although it is comforting "warmer than oil or water" and peaceful "I have rested". When she says "drooling at the mouth-hole", the readers can feel that Sexton is under the effect of addiction.
*The sixth stanza
I did not think of my body at needle point.
Even the cornea and the leftover urine were gone.
Suicides have already betrayed the body.
This stanza gives the evidence of Sexton's addiction "my body at needle point". Sexton has a special relationship with her body, because she does not think in it even it is in pain. Consequently suicides have bad characteristics "suicides have already betrayed the body". They allow her ignore her body.
*The seventh stanza
Still-born, they don't always die,
but dazzled, they can't forget a drug so sweet
that even children would look on and smile.
Here Sexton talks about suicides which do not die. She believes that death is a better place where she will not die, but she will be impressed. In this stanza, there is another evidence of her addiction "so sweet that even children would look on and smile". Sexton makes children, who are the symbols of innocence, smile at the sight of it as the suicide is one of their motives.
*The eighth stanza
To thrust all that life under your tongue!--
that, all by itself, becomes a passion.
Death's a sad Bone; bruised, you'd say,
The first line is an interesting line that gives a feeling, which someone desires to live, that she feels but toward death. She considers ending life as a passion, because life is not simple. Then Sexton refers to death "Death's sad Bone" which reveals the concept of death was in her bones, structure, and was build in her body's system. Suicide is in Sexton's mind and body.
*The ninth stanza
and yet she waits for me, year after year,
to so delicately undo an old wound,
to empty my breath from its bad prison
In this stanza, Sexton compares death to a female person "she waits". Unfortunately, death did not take her this time. It is patient, but it has determined to take her one day "year after year". By saying "undo an old wound" Sexton refers to an old pain that she wants death to remove. From here, death begins to change its negative role "sad Bone" to be more positive "undo an old wound". Not only does death remove old pain, but also it will free the present, her body "bad prison.
*The tenth stanza
Balanced there, suicides sometimes meet,
raging at the fruit, a pumped-up moon,
leaving the bread they mistook for a kiss,
Sexton believes that suicides' spirits meet together. She has strong emotions because of suicide's concept which will give her the expected happiness. In this stanza, Sexton shows the reader the betrayal that she feels "leaving the bread they mistook for a kiss".
*The eleventh stanza
leaving the page of the book carelessly open,
something unsaid, the phone off the hook
and the love, whatever it was, an infection.
Finally, suicides are also ready to depart "leaving the page of the book carelessly open". It seems that they want to say something "something unsaid", and "the phone off the hook". No one knows why suicides leave without finishing its business. The reader can extract the reason of their leaving as Sexton says "and the love, whatever it was, an infection". Therefore they leave because of love (someone, life ...) and they are also disappointed. The last line "whatever it was, an infection" creates a sense of deep disillusionment and pain that life has been drawn Sexton off from them. However suicides gave up, they have more to offer than life.
Poetic technique
Language
Sexton uses wonderful expressions and words to prove her idea about suicide. In the first stanza she employs the word "lust" to show the reader how it is important and instinctive. She also uses words like "grass, sun" to prove that her wish is stronger than the effect of them. Then she justifies her idea by saying "suicides have a special language". In this poem, Sexton gives suicide other characteristics "like carpenter, his craft, his magic, thoughtful, warmer" which reveal how suicide is skillful in its work Sexton succeeds to introduce suicide in good appearance to push the reader to commit suicide.
Some of Sexton's expressions clarify that she is drunken as in "a drug so sweet", "my body at needle point", and "drooling at mouth-hole". Sexton is one of the feminist poets, so she compares death to a female "she waits". She also uses two expressions to confirm that suicide in her mind "lust" and in her body's system "sad Bone". In this poem, Sexton gives death a big effective role "undo an old wound", and "to empty my breath from its bad prison". Consequently Sexton succeeds to prove her idea through her significant words and indicative expressions.
Imagery
Sexton's images also help her language to present death as she sees. She does not use a lot of kinds of figures of speech, but her images are expressive as she uses
• Metaphors in "I walk in my clothing", "eaten the enemy", and "empty my breath".
(2, 11, 27)
In the first metaphor, she compares her clothes to a tunnel. In the second one, she resembles the enemy as a food that she has eaten. In the third one, she depicts her breath as a bottle that death will pour. Sexton also uses a lot of
• Personifications in
But suicides have a special language.
have possessed the enemy, eaten the enemy,
have taken on his craft, his magic.
Suicides have already betrayed the body.
Death's a sad Bone; bruised, you'd say,
and yet she waits for me, year after year,
to empty my breath from its bad prison.
Balanced there, suicides sometimes meet
(7, 11, 12, 18, 24, 25, 27, 31)
Sexton uses all these personifications to compare death to a human being. She also uses
• Simile in "But suicide have a special language like carpenters"
(7)
Sexton uses repetition to confirm the meaning.
• Repetition in "have possessed the enemy, eaten the enemy", "year after year".
(11, 25)
Musicality
Anne Sexton employs some alliterations, assonances, and sound pattern to add music to the poem, for example
• Alliteration in
Twice I have so simply declared myself,
but dazzled, they can't forget a drug so sweet
Death's a sad Bone; bruised, you'd say,
Balanced there, suicides sometimes meet
(10, 20, 24, 28)
• Assonance in "warmer than oil or water".
(14)
• Sound pattern in "have possessed the enemy, eaten the enemy".
(7)
Tone
Although the poem talks about Sexton's wish to die, the tone is optimistic. In this poem, Sexton defends from death against life. Therefore she uses optimistic words which make the poem very hopeful. This appears when she praises suicides "have special languages", and "his magic". However, in the last two stanzas the tone begins to transforms into hopeless tone because suicide leaves Sexton without finishing his work "leaving the bread they mistook for a kiss", and "leaving the page of the book carelessly open".
Form
"Wanting to die" is a short poem in free verse that divides its thirty three lines into eleven tercets (three line stanza). The whole poem is an answer of a question.
Conclusion
In "Wanting to die" Sexton notes that her body, her essential physical, is only in a "bad prison" that should be emptied of breath to feel free. Sexton ties to find her freedom through poetry. She wants to remove this crucial and unnecessary prison by the help of death. Therefore her emphasis in her third collection "Live or Die" is not upon confession with its implication of guilt, but upon compassion for herself and for all those who have influenced her personal existence. In this poem, Sexton failed again to commit suicide, but this time was not the last attempt, because Sexton really died by committing suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning in 1974.
yaso from Egypt
Comment 4 of 6, added on January 28th, 2006 at 9:12 PM.
I am doing a essay for my english class and this poem was the one that I had picked. I was just so drawn to it. After reading a lot about anne sexton I can see why she would write a poem like this. I mean I can see what see has been going through. The poem was very moving to me I love it so much. I also love many other poems that she wrote. They are all very moving but this one was the best. At least what I think.
Love heather
heather from United States
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Comments
"Wanting to die" is one of Sexton's third collection of poems "Live or Die". Live or Die is considered the finest collection, because sexton received the Pulitzer Prize in poetry. It is the record of four years of emotional illness, the turns of fears and despair, and suicidal depression. The major theme of this poem, in particularly, and this collection, in generally, is the choice that Sexton must make between life and death.
Consequently Sexton insists to die because of her painful life and bad state. She suffers from many breakdowns as her divorce, the death of her both parents and her aunt, and also the departure of her daughters.
General idea
"Wanting to die" is, quite simply, about wanting to die; it presents the suicide's case in language as austere as Sylvia Plath's, and is remarkable for its dispassionate examination of the helpless "betrayal" of the body.
(Oates 313)
The whole poem gives reasons and explanation for her wish to die. "The almost unnameable lust" corresponds with Freud's theory of the death-drive: a deep urge inside the human ego that pushes the individual towards death.
(Lazaroms 23)
Sexton believes that death will take her to a better place .She also thinks that death is sweeter than life. The reader can feel that Sexton expresses her broken heart as she says "Then the almost unnameable lust returns.", and "and the love, whatever it was, an infection." Thus
Sexton's life has no purpose, and it deals with depression. Consequently she wants to entertain by committing suicide.
Analysis
*The first stanza
Since you ask, most days I cannot remember.
I walk in my clothing, unmarked by that voyage.
Then the almost unnameable lust returns
The poem "Wanting to die" begins with an answer of a question of unknown questioner why do you want to die? Sexton answers this question "since you ask" that means she is in a voyage. This voyage is committing suicide, and she calls it "unnameable lust". She also mentions "returns" which means that this attempt is not the first time to commit suicide. The reader can feel suicide is an instinct, because Sexton describes it "lust" which she longs for.
*The second stanza
Even then I have nothing against life.
I know well the grass blades you mention,
the furniture you have placed under the sun.
In this stanza, Sexton welcomes death when it comes, because she does not want life "Even then I have nothing against life". Death contradicts with life. In the second line "I know well the grass blades you mention" Sexton returns to address the unknown questioner, but this
time she reveals his character. The unknown questioner is God who creates the grass and the sun to support life. God confronts her wish to die by creating them, but she also insists to die.
*The third stanza
But suicides have a special language.
Like carpenters they want to know which tools.
They never ask why build.
This entire stanza expresses and presents Sexton's reasons for her wish. Therefore she defends from death, suicide, as she says "suicides have special language". She also compares it to skillful carpenter who improves his work by using the best methods "tools". Thus the person, who wants to commit suicide, has everything planned out.
*The fourth stanza
Twice I have so simply declared myself,
have possessed the enemy, eaten the enemy,
have taken on his craft, his magic.
Sexton continues answering the same question "Twice I have so simply declared myself". At this time Sexton specifies the number of times that "unnameable lust "has returned. She also mentions suicides as being "so simply" that means suicides are not difficult to commit. However, there is a difficult and hostile relationship to suicide "possessed the enemy, eaten the enemy", she can overcome it as she says "have taken on his craft, his magic". Sexton transforms this voyage "suicide" into something higher by saying "his magic" to increase its importance.
*The fifth stanza
In this way, heavy and thoughtful,
warmer than oil or water,
I have rested, drooling at the mouth-hole.
Sexton is still talking about her voyage. She describes it "heavy and thoughtful"; however she has described it before "so simply". Consequently the reader can understand this voyage as it is neither thoughtless impulse nor effortless surrender. Although it is comforting "warmer than oil or water" and peaceful "I have rested". When she says "drooling at the mouth-hole", the readers can feel that Sexton is under the effect of addiction.
*The sixth stanza
I did not think of my body at needle point.
Even the cornea and the leftover urine were gone.
Suicides have already betrayed the body.
This stanza gives the evidence of Sexton's addiction "my body at needle point". Sexton has a special relationship with her body, because she does not think in it even it is in pain. Consequently suicides have bad characteristics "suicides have already betrayed the body". They allow her ignore her body.
*The seventh stanza
Still-born, they don't always die,
but dazzled, they can't forget a drug so sweet
that even children would look on and smile.
Here Sexton talks about suicides which do not die. She believes that death is a better place where she will not die, but she will be impressed. In this stanza, there is another evidence of her addiction "so sweet that even children would look on and smile". Sexton makes children, who are the symbols of innocence, smile at the sight of it as the suicide is one of their motives.
*The eighth stanza
To thrust all that life under your tongue!--
that, all by itself, becomes a passion.
Death's a sad Bone; bruised, you'd say,
The first line is an interesting line that gives a feeling, which someone desires to live, that she feels but toward death. She considers ending life as a passion, because life is not simple. Then Sexton refers to death "Death's sad Bone" which reveals the concept of death was in her bones, structure, and was build in her body's system. Suicide is in Sexton's mind and body.
*The ninth stanza
and yet she waits for me, year after year,
to so delicately undo an old wound,
to empty my breath from its bad prison
In this stanza, Sexton compares death to a female person "she waits". Unfortunately, death did not take her this time. It is patient, but it has determined to take her one day "year after year". By saying "undo an old wound" Sexton refers to an old pain that she wants death to remove. From here, death begins to change its negative role "sad Bone" to be more positive "undo an old wound". Not only does death remove old pain, but also it will free the present, her body "bad prison.
*The tenth stanza
Balanced there, suicides sometimes meet,
raging at the fruit, a pumped-up moon,
leaving the bread they mistook for a kiss,
Sexton believes that suicides' spirits meet together. She has strong emotions because of suicide's concept which will give her the expected happiness. In this stanza, Sexton shows the reader the betrayal that she feels "leaving the bread they mistook for a kiss".
*The eleventh stanza
leaving the page of the book carelessly open,
something unsaid, the phone off the hook
and the love, whatever it was, an infection.
Finally, suicides are also ready to depart "leaving the page of the book carelessly open". It seems that they want to say something "something unsaid", and "the phone off the hook". No one knows why suicides leave without finishing its business. The reader can extract the reason of their leaving as Sexton says "and the love, whatever it was, an infection". Therefore they leave because of love (someone, life ...) and they are also disappointed. The last line "whatever it was, an infection" creates a sense of deep disillusionment and pain that life has been drawn Sexton off from them. However suicides gave up, they have more to offer than life.
Poetic technique
Language
Sexton uses wonderful expressions and words to prove her idea about suicide. In the first stanza she employs the word "lust" to show the reader how it is important and instinctive. She also uses words like "grass, sun" to prove that her wish is stronger than the effect of them. Then she justifies her idea by saying "suicides have a special language". In this poem, Sexton gives suicide other characteristics "like carpenter, his craft, his magic, thoughtful, warmer" which reveal how suicide is skillful in its work Sexton succeeds to introduce suicide in good appearance to push the reader to commit suicide.
Some of Sexton's expressions clarify that she is drunken as in "a drug so sweet", "my body at needle point", and "drooling at mouth-hole". Sexton is one of the feminist poets, so she compares death to a female "she waits". She also uses two expressions to confirm that suicide in her mind "lust" and in her body's system "sad Bone". In this poem, Sexton gives death a big effective role "undo an old wound", and "to empty my breath from its bad prison". Consequently Sexton succeeds to prove her idea through her significant words and indicative expressions.
Imagery
Sexton's images also help her language to present death as she sees. She does not use a lot of kinds of figures of speech, but her images are expressive as she uses
• Metaphors in "I walk in my clothing", "eaten the enemy", and "empty my breath".
(2, 11, 27)
In the first metaphor, she compares her clothes to a tunnel. In the second one, she resembles the enemy as a food that she has eaten. In the third one, she depicts her breath as a bottle that death will pour. Sexton also uses a lot of
• Personifications in
But suicides have a special language.
have possessed the enemy, eaten the enemy,
have taken on his craft, his magic.
Suicides have already betrayed the body.
Death's a sad Bone; bruised, you'd say,
and yet she waits for me, year after year,
to empty my breath from its bad prison.
Balanced there, suicides sometimes meet
(7, 11, 12, 18, 24, 25, 27, 31)
Sexton uses all these personifications to compare death to a human being. She also uses
• Simile in "But suicide have a special language like carpenters"
(7)
Sexton uses repetition to confirm the meaning.
• Repetition in "have possessed the enemy, eaten the enemy", "year after year".
(11, 25)
Musicality
Anne Sexton employs some alliterations, assonances, and sound pattern to add music to the poem, for example
• Alliteration in
Twice I have so simply declared myself,
but dazzled, they can't forget a drug so sweet
Death's a sad Bone; bruised, you'd say,
Balanced there, suicides sometimes meet
(10, 20, 24, 28)
• Assonance in "warmer than oil or water".
(14)
• Sound pattern in "have possessed the enemy, eaten the enemy".
(7)
Tone
Although the poem talks about Sexton's wish to die, the tone is optimistic. In this poem, Sexton defends from death against life. Therefore she uses optimistic words which make the poem very hopeful. This appears when she praises suicides "have special languages", and "his magic". However, in the last two stanzas the tone begins to transforms into hopeless tone because suicide leaves Sexton without finishing his work "leaving the bread they mistook for a kiss", and "leaving the page of the book carelessly open".
Form
"Wanting to die" is a short poem in free verse that divides its thirty three lines into eleven tercets (three line stanza). The whole poem is an answer of a question.
Conclusion
In "Wanting to die" Sexton notes that her body, her essential physical, is only in a "bad prison" that should be emptied of breath to feel free. Sexton ties to find her freedom through poetry. She wants to remove this crucial and unnecessary prison by the help of death. Therefore her emphasis in her third collection "Live or Die" is not upon confession with its implication of guilt, but upon compassion for herself and for all those who have influenced her personal existence. In this poem, Sexton failed again to commit suicide, but this time was not the last attempt, because Sexton really died by committing suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning in 1974.
yaso from Egypt