Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Anne Sexton’s poem "Gods" is a sardonic exploration of the search for divinity and meaning in a world where traditional sources of spiritual or divine authority seem hollow or inaccessible. Through a series of increasingly desperate and disillusioned attempts to find the gods, Sexton critiques the institutions and symbols that people typically turn to for spiritual fulfillment, only to find them empty or disappointing. The poem ultimately suggests that the divine, if it exists, might be found in the most mundane and unexpected places—or that it might be entirely elusive.

The poem opens with Mrs. Sexton, a character likely representing the poet herself, "looking for the gods." This search begins in the sky, a traditional symbol of the divine or celestial, where she "expect[s] a large white angel with a blue crotch." The specific and somewhat bizarre detail of the "blue crotch" adds a layer of absurdity to the expectation, hinting that what Mrs. Sexton is looking for is a stereotypical and possibly naïve vision of divinity—something pure, beautiful, and larger than life. Yet, she finds "No one."

From the sky, Mrs. Sexton turns to "all the learned books," expecting perhaps to find wisdom or truth in literature and philosophy. However, the "print spat back at her," a vivid image suggesting that the words, instead of offering enlightenment, are hostile or dismissive. The personification of the print adds to the sense of frustration and alienation in her search.

Her pilgrimage to "the great poet" continues this quest, but here too, she finds nothing but disappointment as "he belched in her face." This encounter is both comical and tragic, reducing the revered figure of the poet to a crude, unimpressive human being. The poet, often seen as a conduit to higher truths, offers nothing but a vulgar bodily function, underscoring the futility of Mrs. Sexton’s search.

Turning to religion, Mrs. Sexton prays "in all the churches of the world," but rather than finding the gods, she only "learned a great deal about culture." This line suggests that while she may have gained knowledge or cultural understanding, the spiritual connection she seeks remains elusive. The churches, which should be places of divine presence, instead offer only human constructs—culture, rituals, and dogma—without the divine essence.

The search expands to the natural world, as Mrs. Sexton visits both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, places often associated with the sublime or the infinite. Yet, she finds "No one" there either. This might reflect the idea that while nature can be awe-inspiring, it does not necessarily provide the personal or spiritual connection that Mrs. Sexton is seeking.

Next, she turns to Eastern religions and ancient civilizations, symbolized by "the Buddha, the Brahma, the Pyramids." These too, however, disappoint her, as they "found immense postcards." The image of "postcards" suggests something commercialized, superficial, and devoid of genuine spiritual significance—more about tourism and spectacle than true divine encounter.

Finally, Mrs. Sexton returns home, where she finds "the gods of the world were shut in the lavatory." The revelation that the gods have been "shut in the lavatory" is both humorous and profound. The lavatory, a place associated with the most basic and unglamorous human functions, is the last place one would expect to find the divine. Yet, it is here, in this most ordinary and private of spaces, that Mrs. Sexton exclaims, "At last!" and locks the door, perhaps finally capturing what she was seeking—or resigning herself to the absurdity of her quest.

The poem’s conclusion can be interpreted in several ways. It might suggest that the divine is hidden in the mundane, that what Mrs. Sexton was searching for in lofty, distant places was actually close at hand all along. Alternatively, it could imply that the search for the divine is inherently absurd and that the gods, if they exist, are no more accessible or meaningful than any other part of our everyday lives, even something as unremarkable as a lavatory.

"Gods" is a poem that plays with expectations, blending humor with existential reflection. Sexton’s use of vivid, often absurd imagery and her journey from the cosmic to the domestic reflect a deep skepticism about the traditional places and figures associated with divine truth. The poem challenges the reader to reconsider where, if anywhere, the divine might be found, and whether the search for it is a noble quest or a fool’s errand.

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