Year 5 - Literature Course: Poetry Student’s worksheet

Anne Sexton

Biography
Anne Sexton, born Anne Gray Harvey, was an American poet. She was born on November 9th, 1928, in
Newton, Massachusetts, and died on October 4th, Weston, Massachusetts, at the age of 45. She was known
for being a confessional poet, in which she wrote primarily about her struggles with depression, suicidal
tendencies and mania. She had won a Pulitzer Prize for her book of poetry called, Live Or Die, in 1967. At
seventeen, Sexton started writing poetry while attending Rogers Hall, a preparatory school for girls, and had
written several poetry collections during the remainder of her life.
Family life
Anne Gray Harvey married Alfred Sexton II on August 16, 1948. They had two daughters, Linda Gray in 1953,
and Joyce Ladd in 1955. After publishing her first book, she had plummeted into emotional turmoil when
her parents suddenly died. Her emotional and mental state further degraded as her marriage continually
became abusive because of the physical abuse she suffered at the hands of her husband. In 1973, she filed
for divorce from him, which was followed by alcoholism and drug abuse that was brought on by deep
depression and loneliness that she would endure for the remainder of her life. The state of her health
became extremely poor and would worsen significantly in her last years as her personal life also
deteriorated.
Questions for analysis:

1. What is the theme of the poem?

a. Why does she repeat the word AGAIN in the title of the poem?
b. Study the language of the poem. What does it tell us about the poet?
c. Study the grammatical forms used in the poem. Do you find the style repetitive?
Illustrate it on some examples.
2. What is the voice and mood of the poem?
a. Can you identify any emotions lying behind the words she uses?
b. How many times does she use the word “I“? Is it significant?
3. Identify poetic devices. (Find examples of metaphor/ simile/ personification/ enjambment)
4. What is the structure of the poem?
Sources:
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/again-and-again-and-again/
http://www.eliteskills.com/analysis_poetry/Again_And_Again_And_Again_by_Anne_Sexton_analysis.php
http://vandermeulenpoetry.weebly.com/poem.html
https://prezi.com/xoejhikvdmuh/again-and-again-and-again-by-anne-sexton/
Year 5 - Literature Course: Poetry Student’s worksheet

Again and Again and Again – Anne Sexton

You said the anger would come back
just as the love did.

I have a black look I do not

like. It is a mask I try on.
I migrate toward it and its frog
sits on my lips and defecates.
It is old. It is also a pauper.
I have tried to keep it on a diet.
I give it no unction.

There is a good look that I wear

like a blood clot. I have
sewn it over my left breast.
I have made a vocation of it.
Lust has taken plant in it
and I have placed you and your
child at its milk tip.

Oh the blackness is murderous

and the milk tip is brimming
and each machine is working
and I will kiss you when
I cut up one dozen new men
and you will die somewhat,
again and again.

Vocabulary:

to defecate – to get rid of solid waste from your body through your bowels (formal)
a pauper – a very poor person (archaic)
unction – the act of pouring oil on sb's head as part of an important religious ceremony, (or:
formal/ disapproving – behaviour/ speech that is not sincere and expresses too much
praise)
vocation – profession
lust - very strong sexual desire, especially when love is not involved/ very strong desire for
something or enjoyment of something
a blood clot - a lump that is formed when blood dries or becomes thicker
to brim - to be full of something; to fill something
to cut up – to injure/ upset emotionally/ divide into small pieces