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.
Comments
You’re cool enough, you’re so in. I’m sure of it lady!
I guess you were right mo! I did get in! Oh if only the cliques in high school were as easy...I WOULD HAVE BEEN A CHEERLEADER AND BEEN IN THE HOMECOMING PARADE!
*yawn*
How boring.
Embrace your geekiness I say!
Indeed.
Art freaks.
And when I switched to a public school, I was really shy. One grade there had more students than the entire high school I came from. Plus I was mourning my mother and wore her clothes to school often. I had a handful of friends, but honestly who wants more? Associates yes, but people you like to be around and can count on?
ANYWAY, I was talking with one girl later and she told me someone said I was a witch. They claimed I hissed at her in the bathroom. ( “Start, start spreading those rumours around.” )
She was lucky I didn’t turn her into a toad.
Oh yes. The rumors. Im sorry Mo. Too bad I wasn;t in the bathroom at the same time. I would have waited ‘til they left, said hello to you and told you they were full of shit and will look like hell and be completely miserable with their lives in 20 years.
(Surprise, surprise) I was a quiet, nerdy, accelerated classes, art & music nerd girl hermit, and none too popular with “the girls”. I liked boys. I liked that they treated me like an equal and wanted to be my friend. Girls were quite cruel to me to be truthful. Accusing me of being a lesbian (because I was quiet and awkward), which WHO CARES-AND COMPLETELY ACCEPTABLE, but they made “it” and “me” sound like a horrible disease, and when you are trying to even entertain the idea of dating boys, you don’t need any help at that age feeling uglier than you already do. Especially when you are an art and music nerd hiding in your bedroom every night making animated films with a super 8 camera.
I bet those chicks look rode hard and put away wet now, mo
Vindictive bitches.
- Mo said on Aug 21, 2008:
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Commenting is not available in this section entry.Do you still have those Super 8s? Please may I see them?
I have no idea which girl in the bathroom it was, someone else told me about it later, someone she knew told her I was a witch. I don’t want to be friends with people like that so it all works out.
I drew a lot, wrote, and danced/worked out.