Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Anne Sexton's poem "The Horoscope Poems: February 11th" is a reflective and ironic meditation on financial security, familial legacy, and the role of poetry in the speaker's life. Through the lens of a horoscope's advice, Sexton explores the intersection of personal history, economic realities, and the limitations of material wealth. The poem intertwines these themes with a sense of nostalgia and disillusionment, ultimately suggesting that the true value lies not in money, but in the creative and emotional sustenance provided by poetry.

The poem begins with a direct reference to a horoscope: "Today is favorable for joint financial affairs but do not / take any chances with speculation." This advice sets the tone for the poem, framing it as a reflection on the speaker’s relationship with money and financial matters. The reference to "joint financial affairs" hints at the interconnectedness of personal and familial finances, while the warning against speculation introduces a cautionary note, one that reverberates throughout the speaker's recollections.

Sexton then shifts to memories of her parents: "My daddy played the market. / My mother cut her coupons." These lines evoke a stark contrast between the father's risky engagement with the stock market and the mother's more frugal, practical approach to managing household expenses. The imagery of "the children ran in circles" and "the maid announced, the soup's on" paints a picture of a typical, yet somewhat chaotic, family life, where financial activities and domestic routines coexisted in a world marked by economic and social norms of the time.

The poem’s tone darkens as it references the "big fat war" that was "so profitable for daddy." Here, the war—likely a reference to World War II—is depicted as a source of wealth for the father, underscoring the moral complexities of profiting from conflict. The juxtaposition of material success with the grim realities of war adds a layer of irony and critique, suggesting that the wealth accumulated during this period was tainted by the broader human cost.

The mention of the family's cars—a "pea green Ford" for the mother and a "pearl gray Caddy" for the father—further emphasizes the material affluence of the speaker's upbringing. Yet, this affluence is undercut by the line "In the end they used it up. / All that pale green dough." The money, once plentiful, is eventually depleted, a reminder of the impermanence of material wealth and the inevitability of loss. The speaker’s reference to spending the remainder on "doctors / who took it like gigolos" conveys a sense of bitterness and disillusionment, as the family’s fortune is drained by medical expenses, likened to the exploitative relationships associated with gigolos.

Sexton then contrasts this familial history of wealth with her own more modest circumstances: "My financial affairs are small. / Indeed they seem to shrink." The speaker's "heart is on a budget," suggesting that both her financial resources and emotional reserves are limited, forcing her to live cautiously, always "on the brink." This metaphorical budgeting of the heart reflects the speaker's need to carefully manage her emotional energy, much like one would manage scarce financial resources.

In the final lines, the speaker turns to poetry as a source of comfort and stability: "I tell it stories now and then / and feed it images like honey." Here, poetry is depicted as a form of nourishment, a way to sustain the heart despite the challenges of life. However, the speaker also acknowledges the temptation to treat poetry as a speculative venture— "I will not speculate today / with poems that think they're money"—suggesting a wariness of conflating artistic expression with financial gain. This line underscores the intrinsic value of poetry, distinct from the material world, and serves as a reminder that not all forms of wealth are measured in dollars.

"The Horoscope Poems: February 11th" is a nuanced exploration of the complexities of wealth, both material and emotional. Anne Sexton uses the framework of a horoscope to delve into personal and familial histories, critiquing the ways in which financial success can be intertwined with moral ambiguity and eventual decline. Through her reflective and often ironic tone, Sexton ultimately emphasizes the importance of poetry and creative expression as sources of true value and sustenance in a world where material wealth is fleeting and unreliable. The poem invites readers to reconsider their own relationships with money, legacy, and the creative arts, suggesting that the latter offers a more enduring form of fulfillment.

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