Good Bye Anne

				Letter To Anne Sexton

I thought I knew you
by your poetry
but in the recent biography
I glanced at,
revealed a different
Anne.

I thought I could relate...
that the only one
you hurt was
yourself -
but this bio says
you abused your
children.

I had sympathized
with you and felt
a certain kindred
connection but perhaps
I just ignored the
differences.

I've really confessed
more of myself
to the world -
people can read my
poems
and truly know
who I am...

Another thing,
I really never got
your love of
Death -
never really could
relate...
though, I've
known the despair
of which you've
spoken
but that's where them
similarity
ends.

I may still,
some day,
feel
the urge
to quote your poem
“Wanting to Die,”
as if I shared
your feelings.

by Bruce Whealton