Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Anne Sexton's "Again and Again and Again" is a stark, visceral exploration of the cyclical nature of intense emotions, particularly love and anger, and the destructive potential they harbor. Through vivid and unsettling imagery, Sexton delves into the complexities of these emotions, illustrating how they intertwine and feed off each other, creating a continuous loop of conflict and passion.

The poem opens with a straightforward assertion: "You said the anger would come back / just as the love did." This line immediately sets the tone for the rest of the poem, establishing the idea that love and anger are not only linked but are inevitable and recurring forces in the speaker's life. The use of "would" suggests a sense of certainty or prophecy, as if the speaker has been warned that these emotions are destined to return, no matter how much she might wish otherwise.

The speaker then introduces the concept of a "black look," which she describes as a mask she tries on. This "black look" represents the anger or darkness that she feels compelled to embrace, despite her distaste for it. The imagery of a "frog / sits on my lips and defecates" is particularly jarring, evoking a sense of repulsion and contamination. The frog, often a symbol of transformation in literature, here becomes a grotesque embodiment of the anger that taints the speaker's words and emotions. The description of the mask as "old" and "a pauper" suggests that this anger is not new; it is worn, impoverished, and persistent, something the speaker has lived with for a long time. Her efforts to keep it "on a diet" and give it "no unction" indicate a desire to suppress or control it, though these attempts seem futile.

In contrast, the speaker describes a "good look" that she wears "like a blood clot." This image is equally unsettling, as a blood clot, while potentially life-saving, also represents a blockage or stoppage, something that can lead to further harm if not dealt with. The fact that the speaker has "sewn it over [her] left breast" suggests that this good look is artificial, something she has crafted and attached to herself in a deliberate and perhaps desperate attempt to cover up or compensate for the darkness within her. The mention of "Lust has taken plant in it" indicates that this good look, while seemingly positive, is also driven by primal desires, and it is closely tied to the speaker's relationships with others, particularly the person she addresses in the poem.

The poem's climax comes with the declaration, "Oh the blackness is murderous / and the milk tip is brimming." Here, the speaker acknowledges the destructive power of the anger ("blackness") within her, as well as the nurturing, life-giving force represented by the "milk tip." These two opposing forces coexist within the speaker, creating a tension that is both life-affirming and life-destroying. The "machines" that are "working" suggest a relentless, mechanical process—perhaps the inevitable cycle of love and anger that the speaker is caught in.

The poem concludes with a chilling and violent image: "I will kiss you when / I cut up one dozen new men / and you will die somewhat, / again and again." This line conveys the idea that the speaker's love is intertwined with violence, and that her emotional turmoil leads to the metaphorical (or perhaps literal) destruction of others. The act of "cutting up one dozen new men" can be interpreted as a symbolic representation of the speaker's repeated engagement in relationships that end in emotional harm. The final phrase, "you will die somewhat, / again and again," reinforces the cyclical nature of this pain, suggesting that both the speaker and her partner are doomed to experience this pattern repeatedly.

"Again and Again and Again" is a powerful meditation on the inextricable link between love and anger, and the ways in which these emotions can both sustain and destroy. Sexton's use of grotesque and violent imagery reflects the intensity of the speaker's inner turmoil, as she grapples with the forces that drive her relationships and shape her identity. The poem captures the duality of human emotion, the way in which our deepest connections can bring both profound joy and devastating pain, often in a relentless, repeating cycle.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...