Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Anne Sexton’s "Admonitions to a Special Person" is a reflective and cautionary poem, offering a mixture of advice, warnings, and encouragement to someone the speaker cares about deeply. The poem combines a tone of protective wisdom with an undercurrent of personal vulnerability, acknowledging both the challenges of life and the hope for growth and self-realization.

The poem begins with a series of warnings, each starting with the phrase "Watch out," creating a rhythm that emphasizes the gravity of the speaker's concerns. The first warning is about power: "Watch out for power, / for its avalanche can bury you, / snow, snow, snow, smothering your mountain." Here, Sexton uses the imagery of an avalanche to convey the overwhelming and potentially destructive nature of power. The repetition of "snow, snow, snow" amplifies the sense of suffocation, suggesting that power, if unchecked, can consume and obliterate the very foundation upon which one stands.

Next, the poem warns of hate: "Watch out for hate, / it can open its mouth and you'll fling yourself out / to eat off your leg, an instant leper." Sexton personifies hate as a monstrous force that can lead one to self-destruction, likening its effects to the sudden, devastating transformation of becoming a leper. The image is stark and visceral, illustrating how hate can consume not only others but also the self.

The poem then shifts to a more personal admonition regarding friends: "Watch out for friends, / because when you betray them, / as you will, / they will bury their heads in the toilet / and flush themselves away." This passage reflects the inevitability of human flaws, particularly the likelihood of betrayal in friendships. The graphic image of friends flushing themselves away after betrayal underscores the painful and often irreparable consequences of such actions.

Sexton’s warning about intellect is both ironic and cautionary: "Watch out for intellect, / because it knows so much it knows nothing / and leaves you hanging upside down." This line suggests that overreliance on intellect can lead to confusion and disorientation, causing one to lose touch with more intuitive, emotional truths. The image of mouthing knowledge while one’s heart falls out emphasizes the disconnect that can occur when intellect is privileged over emotion.

The poem also addresses the dangers of inauthenticity in social interactions: "Watch out for games, the actor's part, / the speech planned, known, given, / for they will give you away." Here, Sexton warns against the temptation to perform or manipulate in social settings, suggesting that such behaviors ultimately expose one’s vulnerabilities, leaving them "like a naked little boy, / pissing on your own child-bed." The rawness of this image underscores the humiliation and self-betrayal that can result from insincerity.

The admonition about love is perhaps the most tender and nuanced: "Watch out for love / (unless it is true, / and every part of you says yes including the toes)." Sexton describes love as something that can entrap and silence if it is not genuine, likening it to being wrapped up like a mummy. However, she also acknowledges the beauty and surrender that true love entails, comparing it to a wave one willingly glides into, giving oneself completely to its embrace.

In the latter part of the poem, the tone softens as Sexton addresses the "special person" directly, advising them to "pay no attention / to admonitions from me." This self-aware moment reflects the speaker’s humility and recognition that, despite her warnings, the special person must navigate their own path. The speaker expresses faith in the special person's potential for growth, likening them to a "young tree / with pasted-on leaves" that will eventually root and thrive.

The poem concludes with a celebratory vision of the special person’s future, when they will "float all around / like a happened balloon," free from the constraints and darkness that may currently weigh them down. The imagery of breaking crystal glasses in celebration suggests a moment of joyful liberation and self-realization, a moment when the special person fully embraces their true self.

"Admonitions to a Special Person" is a complex and layered poem, blending cautionary advice with expressions of deep care and hope. Sexton’s use of vivid, often unsettling imagery serves to highlight the challenges of life, while her ultimate message is one of encouragement and belief in the possibility of growth and transformation. The poem’s intimate and personal tone reflects a deep connection between the speaker and the special person, making it a poignant reflection on love, friendship, and the journey toward self-discovery.

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