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December 19th, 2009 - we have 234 poets, 8,023 poems and 18,084 comments.
Anne Sexton - The Ballad Of The Lonely Masturbator

The end of the affair is always death. 
She's my workshop. Slippery eye, 
out of the tribe of myself my breath 
finds you gone. I horrify 
those who stand by. I am fed. 
At night, alone, I marry the bed. 
Finger to finger, now she's mine. 
She's not too far. She's my encounter. 
I beat her like a bell. I recline 
in the bower where you used to mount her. 
You borrowed me on the flowered spread. 
At night, alone, I marry the bed. 
Take for instance this night, my love, 
that every single couple puts together 
with a joint overturning, beneath, above, 
the abundant two on sponge and feather, 
kneeling and pushing, head to head. 
At night, alone, I marry the bed. 
I break out of my body this way, 
an annoying miracle. Could I 
put the dream market on display? 
I am spread out. I crucify. 
My little plum is what you said. 
At night, alone, I marry the bed. 
Then my black-eyed rival came. 
The lady of water, rising on the beach, 
a piano at her fingertips, shame 
on her lips and a flute's speech. 
And I was the knock-kneed broom instead. 
At night, alone, I marry the bed. 
She took you the way a women takes 
a bargain dress off the rack 
and I broke the way a stone breaks. 
I give back your books and fishing tack. 
Today's paper says that you are wed. 
At night, alone, I marry the bed. 
The boys and girls are one tonight. 
They unbutton blouses. They unzip flies. 
They take off shoes. They turn off the light. 
The glimmering creatures are full of lies. 
They are eating each other. They are overfed. 
At night, alone, I marry the bed.

Added: on October 4th, 2007 at 10:42 PM | Viewed: 12876 times | Comments and analysis of The Ballad Of The Lonely Masturbator by Anne Sexton Comments (14)


The Ballad Of The Lonely Masturbator - Comments and Information

Poet: Anne Sexton (Anne Sexton Art)
Poem: The Ballad Of The Lonely Masturbator
Poem of the Day: Sep 25 2004

Comment 14 of 14, added on November 18th, 2009 at 9:18 PM.

I thought it was beautiful, she expresess her innermost desires and longing.Now that her huband has left her for another woman she feels she has a void, and in-short tries to fill that void and pleasure herself because like many men((andrew)), her man couldn't quite get the job done.Therefore he felt inadequete and left her for a woman easier to please. Some men can't handle an over bearing outspoken woman.

taylor from United States
Comment 13 of 14, added on November 1st, 2007 at 12:12 PM.

you people are riddiculus, poetry is meant to express our inner feelings and thats what sexton has done in all of her work. she is very talented and just because she was depressed doesnt make her a crazy bitch it makes her a person!

tears from United States
Comment 12 of 14, added on October 4th, 2007 at 10:42 PM.

I agree with Andrew. And by the way, Anne Sexton had incestuous contact with her daughter and ended up killing herself. So he was right, she was a crazy bitch. I think that you people are the narrow-minded, ignorant ones.

Madeline from United States

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