Carol Kroll

A hero of mine: Anne Sexton

I just discovered that there exists audio of Anne Sexton reading her poetry. Boy howdy how I love the internet. I requested to be their myspace friend.

I hope they let me in.

I hope I’m cool enough.

This will have to be a CD I purchase in the very near future. Her work is raw, shocking, depressing, with odd bits of hope and beauty softly scattered throughout in the strangest places.

I find not only her work, but her life terribly intriguing and inspiring as well, despite losing her battle raging against the voices inside her head and killed herself at the age of 45.

A friend of mine pointed me in her direction a good decade ago when he read some of the lyrics I was writing in tandem with the paintings I was doing and relating some of the experiences (especially the self doubting ones, the manic ones, and afterwards, the depressing downward spiral ones) I was going through. An obstacle I now recognize and work with. I thank him as it could not have come at a better time for me and gave me a shot in the arm. And most recently I am revisiting her legend and desire to create a boatload of work, despite her obvious mental challenges. She did it anyway.

Basically, she was an ordinary housewife who was encouraged to write poetry to help her manic depression. She was so nervous to do so, that she asked a friend to accompany her to her first workshop.

And then look what happened.

Seems like a good prescription. I think I will continue trying it.

August 19, 2008 | Comments (0)