From the Lips of a Goddess

I personally love Anne Sexton's poetry. Utterly, unapologetically confessional. Perhaps it's because I often find my own poetry completely vulnerable and personal. As they say, "Writing is easy; you just open an artery and bleed."

This poem beautifully describes the love-hate affair writers have with words. Both enemy and lover, words can inspire, transform, disappoint and frustrate. Yet, words are our palette. We depend on them. We pretend we are the wordmasters, when really...sometimes I think I'm the puppet, and the words are my master.


"Words"

Anne Sexton


Be careful of words,even the miraculous ones.
For the miraculous we do our best,
sometimes they swarm like insects
and leave not a sting but a kiss.
They can be as good as fingers.
They can be as trusty as the rock
you stick your bottom on.

But they can be both daisies and bruises.
Yet I am in love with words.
They are doves falling out of the ceiling.
They are six holy oranges sitting in my lap.
They are the trees, the legs of summer,
and the sun, its passionate face.

Yet often they fail me.
I have so much I want to say,
so many stories, images, proverbs, etc.
But the words aren't good enough,
the wrong ones kiss me.
Sometimes I fly like an eagle
but with the wings of a wren.

But I try to take care
and be gentle to them.
Words and eggs must be handled with care.
Once broken they are impossible
things to repair.