Shiff prefaces this book with a verse from Job 16:18: "Oh earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no resting place." This anthology gives voice to holocaust victims, it brings immediacy to the holocaust -- making it a current tragedy rather than a historical event. The poems are organized somewhat chronologically, in sections titled Alienation, Persecution, Destruction, Rescuers Bystanders & Perpetrators, Afterwards, Second Generation, Lessons, and God. A variety of writers are represented, from the famous (Elie Wiesel, Primo Levi, Sylvia Plath), to the less famous (Pavel Friedman, a child inmate of Theresienstadt camp). An appendix includes fascinating biographical sketches information on each author, which adds an extra dimension to the poetry. Much of the poetry is very readable, accessible, not as esoteric as I had expected. The overall effect is highly disturbing, yet it's inspiring that many of the writers are able to find God or meaning in such horror.

The Holocaust is undoubtedly the most horrific epoch of human violence mankind ever witnessed.Not much historical documentation was done about it because in the brutal act of murdering Six million Jews by the Nazi supportors almost an entire race got wiped out...the few that survived remained transfixed by the aftermath of that shattering experience of barbaric cruelity.The recorded facts were kept supressed for a long time.The Holocaust remained hidden like a Blackhole in the obscure labyrinths of history. Though we consider the Holocaust as a rudiment of the dead past,we still find the haunting echos even now.Just look back in retrospect even a short span of the bygone decade.There we find the demonic manifestations of the forgotten dead past!The list at random is alarming:ethnic strife in Rwanda,Cechnia,Croatians and Serbs,Jews and the Palestinens and above all Racial descrimination at different levels in almost all the continents.This is the price we pay for remaining oblivious to the lessons of the past.The dictum"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it" will hold true for ever.It is indeed our moral responsibility to at least remotely live through the pain and and agony...to empathise with the victims of the holocaust who suffered more by the deliberate acts of cruelity by their own fellow beings than by the stroke of fate.It will be a disdainful act if we choose to turn away from this imperious reality of the past! Hilda Schiff's compilation "Holocaust Poetry" addresses this fact with such immediacy of purpose.This is a very insightful compilation because Hilda Schiff has chosen to include as many variety of poems from different perspectives of the same reality than presenting a chosen few poets at length.This offers a panaromic insight into the holocaust in its entiriety!The poems compiled are arranged in an order that gives a graphical account of the plight of the victims.Nothing else could be a better example of Man's innate urge to destroy and above all Man's indomitable will to overcome..to eventually triumph against all odds.These poems give that rare insight into the complexity of the strange human predicament as well! Well,when striken stricken to the heart the Lion gives out his mightiest roar,smitten on the head the cobra rises it's hood...and the glory of the Self comes forth when a man is wounded to the depths!These verbal expressions form only a fractional account of the unsung saga of the holocaust victims,but they stand as the living testimony of a statement by the Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis" Man's wings won't sprout until he reaches the brink of an abyss!"

I really enjoyed reading your book of Holocaust Poetry. It touched my heart in many different ways. I felt the sorrows of the poets who displayed their poetry in your book. Some poets lost very close loved ones and showed their love and affection through their poetry. I think that it is very important that we know about the Holocaust and how discrimination affected us and our ancestors. This book taught me that every life has it's own meaning and that we should treat other as we would like to be treated.

The magnificent title poem opens this second volume of Sexton's poetry and again showcases her innovative skill at weaving words, images and rhythm to gripping effect in its description of sorting through personal effects after the death of a parent. There's some quirky humour in A Curse Against Elegant Elegies, especially in the image of the surly preacher who shuffled into the yard "looking for a scapegoat." One of the most moving poems here is titled For Eleanor Boylan Talking With God, a lovely and touching description of a devout friend. And one of the saddest poems, The Truth The Dead Know, reveals the poet's feelings as she leaves church after the death of her father. The flowing structure of the poem and the resigned sense of finality are breathtaking; it reminds me of the music of Angels Of Light, especially the desolate landscape of Song For My Father on the New Mother album. The poem Old brilliantly juxtaposes the reality of a geriatric ward's needles, rubber sheets and tubes with a childhood dream of eating wild blueberries, whilst The Starry Night which opens with a quote by Vincent Van Gogh, reminds me of Sylvia Plath's Ariel and Don McLean's song Starry Starry Night. Other favourites of mine include Lament, In The Deep Museum and The Black Art which reminds me of the poem Her Kind from the first book To Bedlam And Part Way Back. All My Pretty Ones shows Anne Sexton at the height of her art and together with Bedlam, should be in every poetry lover's collection.

_All My Pretty Ones_ is, in my opinion, the best of the Sexton works, even as it is also one of the most sad. When she says "Also, I am tired of all the dead", you feel that the line is anchored in the life behind the poetry. It's also one of the poetry books that functions very well together as a book, so even though many or most of these poems are available through other collections, it's a shame that it's so hard to find right now as just this one volume.

Furst's intimate photographs are the centerpiece of this book. It is a chance to gaze into the face of one of this incredible poet. The portraits enable you to feel Anne's pain and the joy. These images are as revealing as any of her poems. This book is a must for all sincere Sexton readers.

This photographic biography lures us into the brilliant mind of poet Anne Sexton. Furst's beautiful pictures portray her as intelligent, thoughtful and sensuous, haughty and pensive, and we are drawn into the rich complex verses written in her own hand. We are allowed to peek at her personal correspondence, and look inside the poet to the woman and her spirit. Surely, this book is a "must have" for those who are looking for the real Anne Sexton.

although all anne's work has moved me to contemplation (and often tears), love poems has been the most gorgeously presented and emotionally draining collection of poetry any author i have before seen published. i challenge all readers to find a more beautiful reflection of inferior self-perception than in 'for my lover, returning to his wife.' anne's poetry is as once angelic and crude, inspiring a kinship between herself and the reader -- the true mark of a gifted writer.

I THOUGHT THAT SHE GOT INTO REALISM AND HEART WITH THIS BOOK AND REALLY WROTE ABOUT IT IT WAS ALMOST LIKE SHE LIVED THESE FEELINGS HER SELF I REALLY LOVE HER WRITING AND POETRY SHE MADE ME FEEL THOSE THOUGHTS And feelings i love this writer!!!!!!

The Art of Self-Exposure

Anne Sexton (1928-1974) showed the best of herself in letters. To quote Donald Hall she was a 'soul-flasher.' She was passionately engaged in living and tormented into dying. Her flight through life was one of breathtaking bravery in the face of crippling odds. The letters date from 1944 when she was sixteen, through 1974 a few days before her death. Full credit should go to the editors, Linda Gray Sexton, daughter of Ann, and Lois Ames, Ann's closest friend. The commentary is sensitive, knowledgeable and readable. The necessary biographical linkage is there.

There have always been unfortunate attempts to link Ann Sexton and Sylvia Plath. Their similarities are their age, their sex, their birthplace in the Northeastern United States, and their self-inflicted deaths. And there the similarity ends. Ann was a fragile child who emerged a tormented woman. She was creatively brilliant in a very natural sense; yet she worked feverishly all her life to improve every word she wrote. She once said, "I am tearing at the stars." Ann enjoyed a large circle of devoted friends and repaid their devotion in kind. She was supportive and free with advice to younger struggling poets when she could barely survive her own despair. Ann was a naturally beautiful woman who seemed completely unaware or disinterested in her own breathtaking countenance.

I am astounded at how helpless she became at the end of her life. I truly do not comprehend how her friends and family could bear her onslaughts of misery and self-paralysis. They must have loved her very much. These letters are appealing and a pleasure to read. She was a wordsmith as well as an incredible poet. Following is a stanza from "All My Pretty Ones"

Never loving ourselves,

hating even our shoes and our hats,

we love each other, precious, precious.

Our hands are light blue and gentle.

Our eyes are full of terrible confessions.

But when we marry, the children leave in disgust.

There is too much food, and no one left over

to eat up all the weird abundance.

I loved listening to this tape of one of Anne Sexton's readings. She is amazing as far as the way she is able to capture her audience and bring them into the world where her poetry takes place. The quote at the beginning of her book 'All My Pretty Ones' says best how she writes: "...the books we need are the kind that act upon us like a misfortune, that make us suffer like the death of someone we love more than ourselves, that make us feel as though we were on the verge of suicide, or lost in a forest remote from all human habitation - a book should serve as the ax for the frozen sea within us." - from a letter of Franz Kafka to Oskar Pollak

In this evocative volume (and also in the second book All My Pretty Ones), Sexton's despair is still beautifully controlled, enabling her to discuss it with an aloof but engaging sense of objectivity. For example, The Waiting Head is a poignant memory of a beloved grandmother who lived alone and the poem ends with the line "but no one came no one came." Equally poignant, but humorous too, is her description of being admitted to a mental institution. The poem is called Music Swims Back To Me and contains a repeating refrain and flowing rhythm that convey the sense of alienation particularly well. Said The Poet To The Analyst, a look at the relation between patient and therapist, is another masterpiece in its economical use of vivid images and the rhythm of the words. The poem Her Kind described the poet as the witch, inhabiting a different world and a person "who is not ashamed to die." The Moss Of His Skin opens with a quote from Psychoanalysis And Psychoanalytic Review and is a resigned description of a terrifying occurrence, being buried alive. The musical quality of Sexton's poetry comes to the fore again in her tale of accepting the death of a friend, in the poem Elizabeth Gone, one of the most magical elegies I have ever read. Noon Walk On The Asylum Lawn integrates a line from Psalm 23 in each of the three stanzas, juxtaposing the reassuring words of protection with her own terrifying observations to eerie effect, for example, the second verse:
"The grass speaks.
I hear green chanting all day.
I will fear no evil, fear no evil
The blades extend
And reach my way."
A sense of first hand experience lends a genuine authenticity to these poems, whilst her mastery of imagery and the natural rhythm of language is original and impressive. To Bedlam And Part Way Back and All My Pretty Ones remain her best books, since the later works became so bleak and harrowing that some of them are very painful to read and digest.

Anne Sexton was an incredible poet her work is powerful, mesmerizing and thought provoking. Qualities that I definitely look for in great poetry and work that both genders can appreciate. But, part of what makes Sexton's poetry so powerful is the context under which it was written. She wrote deeply p personal poetry about women, about herself. About anger. About female anger. That is part of the reason her voice is so powerful she and Sylvia Plath were two women in the mid 20th century who were allowed to be angry, who reveled in their anger and claimed it. Her poems are not about abstract ideas, about Grecian Urns, but many of them about her personal experience as a woman, a wife a daughter. And people bought this. That was amazing, when you think about the roles of women at that time. Her collected work is interesting not only as great poetry but also as an amazing commentary about the status of women of her generation

This book is truly wonderful, so rich, the imagry so acurate, the poems are funny, sad, powerful, angry, satirical - her best lines - "A Writer IS Esentially a Spy" - are as was Anais Nin's works- a spy in the house of life, not just love. Her fairy tales, especially Briar Rose, are worth the price of the book itself. From a possessed witch, to an 8 year old sitting quietly watching unsure Protestants try to sing at Easter, to a year of being insane, or to a woman searching endlessly for Mercy Street (one of my favorites) and never finding it - this is one of the best books of confessional or any other kind of poetry I have ever read. Thank you so much, Anne!!

What first drew me to the poet Anne Sexton was a fragment I read from an essay in which she discussed the death of fellow American poet Sylvia Plath. What struck me was not just the disarming honesty of Sexton's remorse, but also the glimmer of a slightly less generous sentiment that belied her sadness. The precise nature of this sentiment became evident to me once I read Sexton's poem "Sylvia's Death," which revealed that Sexton's grief stemmed more from a profound sense of being left behind than from a sense of losing someone dear. In the poem, which is heartrending in its sincerity, Sexton mournfully addresses Plath: "Thief -- / how did you crawl into, / crawl down alone / into the death I wanted so badly and for so long, / the death we said we both outgrew, / the one we wore on our skinny breasts." What this passage and the entirety of her poem "Wanting to Die" reveal is just how clearly Sexton was aware of this death wish, this "suicide," as not only a disease of the mind, but a hunger -- an inexplicable and ever-present craving for permanent closure to consciousness. The overwhelming tone of "Sylvia's Death" is one of a woman who feels cheated out of something rightfully hers. Indeed, for Sexton, suicide was an inevitability -- she lived out her existence always with the awareness that she would end it by her own hand -- and many of the poems that made her name were a reflection of this very way of being. For those who deal with clinical depression as a way of life, the truth of the pain that rings from Sexton's verse is almost refreshing, and, in a sad sort of way, therapeutic.

"Eight American Poets," edited by Joel Conarroe, is a fine anthology. The introduction notes that this book was "designed as a companion volume to 'Six American Poets,'" also edited by Conarroe. "Eight" follows the same plan as "Six": rather than anthologize a huge company of poets who are represented by only a few pieces each, each of Conarroe's books focuses on a relatively small group of poets, each of whom is represented by a substantial selection. Conarroe's approach allows the reader to get a fuller feel of each poet in the anthology format.

The poets of "Eight" are Theodore Roethke, Elizabeth Bishop, Robert Lowell, John Berryman, Anne Sexton, Sylvia Plath, Allen Ginsburg, and James Merrill. Each poet's work is prefaced by a substantial individual introduction.

There are many masterpieces in this book. Curiously, I found the most compelling poems to be those that focus on nature: Roethke's "The Meadow Mouse," Bishop's "The Fish," Plath's "Mushrooms," and Merrill's "The Octopus." Poems like these combine skillfully used language with keen insight, and reveal these poets to be true heirs of Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson (two of the featured artists in "Six American Poets").

Overall, I felt that "Eight" was not as strong as its sister volume, "Six." Although there are many poetic masterpieces in "Eight," there is also much material which, in my opinion, hasn't aged well. The so-called "confessional poetry" of some of these writers strikes me as overwrought. Some of the longer poems failed to resonate with me. I was particularly disappointed by Berryman's "Homage to Mistress Bradstreet," especially since I am an admirer of Anne Bradtreet's own work. Admittedly, this criticism may merely reflect my own personal tastes, but I submit it for the reader's consideration.

The fact that so many of these poets either wrote about each other, or pop up in the editor's introductions to each others' work, sometimes gives the book as a whole a creepy, incestuous feel. And the fact that so many of these poets committed suicide, had long-term mental health problems, and/or suffered from addictions further gives the book as a whole a rather morbid feel. On second thought, maybe this group of eight is a bit problematic!

Still, editor Conarroe has assembled an impressive anthology that I would recommend for students and teachers, as well as to a general readership. Although a mixed bag, "Eight American Poets" contains some truly enduring work by an octet whose legacy is secure.

.........the best known and loved poetry of eight well-known twentieth century American poets. Includes well known poems such as Bishop's "The Fish", Roethke's "My Papa's Waltz", Berryman's "Dream Songs", Merrill's "Lost in Translation", Sexton's "Ringing the Bells", and many others.

Like Conarroe's "Six American Poets", the anthology introduces us to each poet with a short biography that is presented before the poet's work. We learn about their lives and come to understand some of the primary forces that have shaped their poetry. I have found that this greatly enriches the experience of reading poetry because I better see the struggles that lead to each individual creation. After each collection, Conarroe offers a list of books and anthologies where each poet has been published so that we, should we wish, can come to know the work of a given poet much better.

This anthology is a wonderful starting place for someone who, like me, desires an introduction to some of the greatest American poetry ever produced. Personally, I feel, after reading this anthology that I have come to truly appreciate the work of Elizabeth Bishop and Theodore Roethke, in particular. I had never known their work well, but suddenly each jumped off the page at me, Bishop for her wonderfully vivid descriptions and Roethke for his intensely moving subjects. Plath and Sexton also really spoke to me, their work so reflecting their lives. Overall, this anthology is superbly worthwhile reading!

Ah, a fine comparison and contrast in studies on the eight best American confessional poets ever. Kudos to the editor on a fine choice of poems, and candid biographies on each poet. Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, Allen Ginsberg, John Berryman, Theodore Roethke, Elizabeth Bishop and the other guy, here's to you.

I have never been a great fan of Anne Sexton, the poet. But after reading the memoir written by her daughter, I doubt that I would cherish the words the poet wrung from the souls of her young.

To grow up in a household where genius resides is a terrible burden. I find it amazing that Sexton's daughters, especially Linda, survived at all. It is a book painted with a palette of despair, but never mean-spirited. It was, after all, a story begging to be told:"...I would bring her back to life, but to do so would require that I give up my life to her; to do so would require an act of cannibalism on her part, to reverse this process that every other mother and daughter engage in- the mother-daughter dance, birth and death..."

Linda Gray Sexton saves the most painful revelation until last, and it becomes the defining action I will most associate with Anne Sexton. This poet, this mother, unable to attain her own epiphany, extends the cycle of emotional violence into another generation, and the betrayed becomes the betrayer. Linda Gray Sexton did what she could, finally said "no more". This is by no means an indictment of the daughter. Rather, I applaud her choice for life and freedom, for her own future, for her own children.

As the reader learns, the name "Gray" was given to family members who would attain the writer's gift. Respecting this honorary heirloom, Linda's words flow beautifully as she recalls her life with impressive detail. Linda expresses discomfort in revisiting the haunting moments of her life, but she doesn't stop reaching for information. Instead, she keeps pinching her insides until she's squeezed out each emotion, sharing her life and Anne's impact on it with the most lucid honesty. What courage to be able to look at oneself as closely as Linda does!

While enjoying the detailed account of humanity, I also learned the story of Anne Sexton, a brilliant artist and complex person who suffered a lot, and caused much suffering-- as well as joy.

This book also demonstrates how writing poetry or even non-fiction as therapy can truly become art if the writer is real, fearless and generous with detail. I appreciated the educational value of the information about the emotional impact of mental illness on an individual and a family.

Anyone who writes, ever feels blue, or appreciates learning about the mind of the artist should read this book. I also recommend reading "Touched with Fire", Kay Redfield Jamison's study of Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament, as well as "An "Unquiet Mind", her autobiography. Also, reading more of Sexton's poetry (many poems are excerpted in Linda Gray Sexton's book) completes the picture.

[Linda, Anne would be pleased to know how well you have learned to see.~JAD]

I worked with Linda closely for a year when she had small children in the Mid-1980's. I was very touched and disturbed by this book. I found it to the point, but forgiving. I commend Linda for her resiliency and candor. I know that to write this book she had to rediscover many guarded memories. I encourage all to read it. Anne Sexton was a complicated, brilliant artist. Her life was fascinating to read about, especially from her daughter's intimate perpective. The poems that were included helped me to more fully understand the artist and woman through the different stages of her life. I hope Linda writes again.