Mother,
strange goddess face
above my milk home,
that delicate asylum,
I ate you up.
All my need took
you down like a meal.

What you gave
I remember in a dream:
the freckled arms binding me,
the laugh somewhere over my woolly hat,
the blood fingers tying my shoe,
the breasts hanging like two bats
and then darting at me,
bending me down.

The breasts I knew at midnight
beat like the sea in me now.
Mother, I put bees in my mouth
to keep from eating
yet it did no good.
In the end they cut off your breasts
and milk poured from them
into the surgeon’s hand
and he embraced them.
I took them from him
and planted them.

I have put a padlock
on you, Mother, dear dead human,
so that your great bells,
those dear white ponies,
can go galloping, galloping,
wherever you are.

Analysis, meaning and summary of Anne Sexton's poem Dreaming The Breasts

2 Comments

  1. Figurelogics says:

    What the?… This is really confusing… and somewhat nasty…

  2. RainDewEast says:

    Praise the Lord, for the Frontier of Food; Oh how wonderful of God to supply this nutrient for the babies; without it is not so healthy. The breast hold the posture of the Woman’s body; it shapes the shoulders and the Bible says, the nipples are strong Towers that protray structure. Men, love to pillow on this most beautiful part of the anatomy of the female, to caress and kiss. Breasts; the Greatest Assets to the upper part of the Body… Anne, was so aware and concerned about ordinary things on our person; and in the world; and her deep deep vocal and written power to pen these important sighting… Be intelligent, and be open like our beloved Anne. If only the psycho.,knew more about to really help people have babies; then become to depressed; you can overcome this aliment and get well Again.

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