Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Bestiary U.S.A.: Sheep," Anne Sexton offers a striking and somewhat cynical reflection on the sheep, traditionally a symbol of innocence and passivity, through the lens of economic exploitation and global trade. The poem juxtaposes the seemingly benign image of the sheep with a more biting critique of commodification and the dehumanizing effects of capitalism.

The poem begins with an almost affectionate, yet sarcastic, description of the sheep: "Little oily fuzzbear, / wearing your wool full of wood, / Mr. Ba-Ba, you yellow man, / you grease ball of thistles." The language here is playful, with Sexton employing diminutive terms like "fuzzbear" and "Mr. Ba-Ba," which simultaneously infantilize and mock the sheep. The "oily" and "grease ball" descriptions, however, introduce a sense of something sullied or unclean, as if the sheep, in its commodified form, has lost its natural purity. This is reinforced by the reference to its wool being "full of wood" and thistles, suggesting a roughness or imperfection that contrasts with the idyllic image of a sheep.

Sexton then shifts from the physical description of the sheep to its economic significance: "you yes sir, yes sir three bags full, / have been the work of the men of my life / for all of my life and the mention of you / turns my hands into green money." Here, she invokes the nursery rhyme "Baa Baa Black Sheep," which traditionally symbolizes compliance and service, but in this context, it underscores the sheep's role as a source of wealth. The repetition of "yes sir, yes sir" emphasizes the sheep's subservient position in the economic hierarchy, serving the needs of those who exploit it. The phrase "turns my hands into green money" is a potent metaphor for the reduction of labor and life into mere financial gain, highlighting the transactional nature of the sheep's existence in a capitalist economy.

The poem takes a turn as Sexton expresses a wish for misfortune to befall the sheep that have "boss[ed] the world-wide market" in Australia and Cape Town. The speaker's tone becomes one of resentment and bitterness: "May they turn sour. May many mean things / happen upon them, no shepherds, no dogs, / a blight of the skin, a mange of the wool." This curse against the foreign sheep reflects a deep dissatisfaction with the global market's impact on local economies and livelihoods. By wishing for the sheep to suffer from "a blight of the skin" and "a mange of the wool," Sexton personifies the economic competition as a physical affliction, drawing a parallel between the degradation of the sheep and the economic decline of those who once profited from them.

The final lines of the poem, "and they will die eating foreign money, / choking on its green alphabet," deliver a powerful conclusion. Here, the "green money" that once symbolized prosperity becomes lethal, a poison that the sheep cannot digest. The imagery of the sheep "choking on its green alphabet" suggests the destructive consequences of a world driven by profit and greed. The alphabet, a symbol of language and communication, becomes a foreign, incomprehensible force that ultimately leads to the sheep's demise.

In "Bestiary U.S.A.: Sheep," Sexton uses the figure of the sheep to critique the commodification of life and the global economic systems that prioritize profit over the well-being of both animals and humans. The poem's tone is both sardonic and mournful, reflecting a sense of loss—not just of economic stability, but of a more profound connection to the natural world and the simple, uncommodified life it represents. Through her vivid and evocative language, Sexton invites the reader to reconsider the consequences of a world where everything, even a simple sheep, is reduced to a mere economic unit, ultimately leading to its own destruction.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...