Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Anne Sexton's "Despair" is a vivid and visceral examination of the overwhelming force of despair, personified as an unwelcome and destructive presence in the speaker's life. The poem conveys a deep sense of frustration and helplessness as the speaker grapples with the suffocating effects of despair, which intrudes upon her existence, altering her sense of self and purpose. Through stark imagery and a conversational tone, Sexton captures the pervasive and insidious nature of despair, while also revealing a reluctant acceptance of its place in her life.

The poem begins with a series of rhetorical questions that seek to define despair by comparing it to various disturbing and destructive forces: "Who is he? / A railroad track toward hell? / Breaking like a stick of furniture? / The hope that suddenly overflows the cesspool?" These images are powerful and unsettling, each one conveying a different aspect of despair. The "railroad track toward hell" suggests an inevitable, relentless journey toward destruction, while the image of something "breaking like a stick of furniture" evokes a sudden, violent rupture of stability. The idea of "hope that suddenly overflows the cesspool" presents a bitter irony—hope that turns out to be false or tainted, leading to even greater despair.

Sexton continues to explore despair by likening it to failed or corrupted love: "The love that goes down the drain like spit? / The love that said forever, forever / and then runs you over like a truck?" Here, love, which is supposed to be a source of comfort and security, becomes another source of betrayal and pain. The repetition of "forever, forever" emphasizes the broken promise, while the image of being "run over like a truck" suggests the brutal, crushing impact of this disillusionment. Sexton’s choice of imagery underscores the way despair can twist and destroy even the most sacred and cherished aspects of life.

The speaker then directly addresses despair: "Are you a prayer that floats into a radio advertisement?" This line captures the intrusive and commercialized nature of despair, as something that can infiltrate even the most private and spiritual moments, turning them into something trivial and corrupted. This image reflects the speaker’s dismay at how despair permeates every aspect of her existence, reducing even her prayers to something hollow and commodified.

In a moment of raw honesty, the speaker admits, "Despair, / I don't like you very well. / You don't suit my clothes or my cigarettes." This casual, almost offhanded remark contrasts with the intensity of the earlier imagery, conveying the speaker's deep resentment and discomfort with the presence of despair in her life. Despair is depicted as an ill-fitting, unwelcome guest, something that clashes with the speaker's identity and lifestyle. The mention of "clothes" and "cigarettes" suggests that despair has become an all-encompassing force, affecting even the most mundane aspects of her daily life.

The poem takes a darker turn as the speaker confronts the physical and emotional toll of despair: "Why do you locate here / as large as a tank, / aiming at one half of a lifetime?" The comparison of despair to a "tank" emphasizes its size, power, and capacity for destruction. This image conveys a sense of being under siege, with despair threatening to obliterate not just the speaker’s present but her entire future. The phrase "one half of a lifetime" suggests that despair is targeting her at a pivotal moment, threatening to erase or corrupt the life she has led thus far.

The speaker's plea—"Couldn't you just go float into a tree / instead of locating here at my roots"—reveals her desperation to rid herself of despair, to have it leave her alone and take root elsewhere. The "roots" symbolize the very foundation of her being, her identity, and her life experiences. By "locating here," despair is depicted as a force that is not just attacking the speaker but uprooting her, threatening to destroy the core of who she is.

In a moment of reluctant resignation, the speaker concedes, "All right! / I'll take you along on the trip / where for so many years / my arms have been speechless." This acknowledgment marks a turning point in the poem. Despite her resistance, the speaker recognizes that despair is now a part of her, an inescapable companion on her journey. The phrase "my arms have been speechless" conveys a sense of impotence and frustration, as if the speaker has been unable to fully express or combat the despair that has plagued her for so long. By agreeing to "take [despair] along," the speaker seems to accept that despair, though unwanted, is a part of her experience that she must carry with her.

"Despair" is a poignant exploration of the pervasive and destructive nature of despair, and the struggle to maintain one's identity and purpose in its grip. Sexton's use of vivid, unsettling imagery and a conversational tone allows the reader to feel the intensity of the speaker's emotions, as she grapples with the overwhelming presence of despair in her life. The poem captures the tension between resistance and acceptance, revealing the complex ways in which despair can shape and define a person's existence, even as they fight to maintain control. Ultimately, "Despair" is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, as the speaker faces her inner demons with honesty and a reluctant willingness to endure.

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