Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Angel of Blizzards and Blackouts," the fifth section of "Angels of the Love Affair", Anne Sexton evokes a nostalgic yet haunting exploration of childhood memories intertwined with the harsh realities of adulthood. The poem, part of a larger sequence, continues the motif of angels, here personified as a force of nature and time that simultaneously freezes the speaker out and triggers memories of warmth, sweetness, and innocence.

The angel invoked in this section, the "Angel of blizzards and blackouts," is a powerful, almost fearsome figure, associated with the coldness of winter and the darkness of blackouts. Yet, despite this association with harshness and deprivation, the angel is also connected to a memory of summer abundance, symbolized by the "raspberries, / those rubies that sat in the green of my grandfather's garden." This contrast sets the stage for the poem’s exploration of the tension between past and present, warmth and coldness, abundance and absence.

Sexton uses vivid imagery to bring the memory of the raspberry patch to life. The raspberries, likened to "rubies," are precious and vibrant, nestled in the lush green of the garden. The garden itself is a space of restricted access, where "Only my grandfather was allowed there. Or the maid / who came with a scullery pan to pick for breakfast." The speaker, however, subverts this restriction, sneaking "across the salt lawn / in bare feet and jumping-jack pajamas in the spongy dawn" to steal these "sweet kisses." The use of the word "thief" suggests a sense of guilt or transgression, but also highlights the speaker's desire for these moments of sweetness and freedom.

The angel, however, is a reminder of the present, of the blizzards and blackouts that characterize the adult world. The phrase "you freeze / me out" captures the sense of exclusion and loss that adulthood often brings, as the warmth and sweetness of childhood are replaced by the coldness and isolation of maturity. The angel, with "sugary wings," is both sweet and cold, a paradox that reflects the complexity of the speaker's emotions.

The poem concludes with a poignant plea: "Oh Angel of the blizzard and blackout, Madam white face, / take me back to that red mouth, that July 21st place." Here, the speaker longs to return to the specific moment of July 21st, a day presumably filled with the simple joys of childhood. The "red mouth" of the raspberries symbolizes not just the fruit itself, but also the warmth, sweetness, and vibrancy of life that the speaker feels has been lost.

This section of the poem captures the tension between memory and reality, between the warmth of the past and the coldness of the present. The "Angel of blizzards and blackouts" is both a guardian and a gatekeeper, representing the forces that separate the speaker from the innocence and joy of childhood. Through her evocative language and imagery, Sexton explores the deep longing for a return to a simpler, sweeter time, even as she acknowledges the inevitability of loss and the passage of time. The poem is a meditation on the complex nature of memory, the way it can both sustain and haunt us, offering glimpses of sweetness amid the cold realities of life.

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