Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Anne Sexton's "I Remember" is a deeply nostalgic poem that captures the essence of a shared summer experience, evoking the warmth, intimacy, and simplicity of a specific time and place. The poem reflects on a period marked by small, vivid details that together create a tapestry of memory, highlighting the ways in which these seemingly mundane moments carry profound emotional significance.

The poem begins by situating the reader in a specific time frame: "By the first of August," a moment in late summer when the season's intensity begins to peak. The "invisible beetles" that "began to snore" suggest the quiet, almost imperceptible rhythms of nature that go unnoticed until they become part of the background of one's daily life. The image of the "grass...as tough as hemp" reinforces the harshness of the late summer landscape, where the natural world has reached a point of exhaustion and toughness, mirroring the endurance required by the human body during the hot, prolonged days.

Sexton describes the grass and sand as having "no color," which might imply a certain monotony or fading that occurs as the summer wears on. The idea of colorlessness also suggests that these details have blended into the everyday, becoming less distinct as the speaker becomes more absorbed in the experience. The mention of "bare feet" that have been "worn bare since the twentieth of June" emphasizes the physicality of the season, the way the body itself is affected and altered by prolonged exposure to the elements.

The poem then shifts to moments of human connection and routine, with the speaker recalling how "there were times we forgot to wind up your alarm clock." This line evokes a sense of carefree living, where the usual structures of time and order are allowed to slip, reflecting the relaxed and perhaps slightly rebellious atmosphere of the summer. The image of taking "gin warm and neat / from old jelly glasses" further emphasizes the casual, unpretentious nature of these days, where even the smallest details—the choice of glassware—become meaningful in their simplicity.

The description of the sun "blow[ing] out of sight / like a red picture hat" is a strikingly vivid image, blending the natural world with a touch of whimsy and fashion. The sun setting like a "red picture hat" suggests a dramatic, almost theatrical end to the day, infusing the scene with a sense of beauty and finality.

The poem takes a more personal turn with the line "one day I tied my hair back / with a ribbon and you said / that I looked almost like / a puritan lady." This moment of observation and connection between the speaker and another person (presumably a lover or close companion) highlights the intimacy and affection that defines their relationship. The comparison to a "puritan lady" adds a layer of historical or cultural reference, perhaps suggesting a sense of simplicity, modesty, or even irony, as the speaker reflects on how they were perceived in that moment.

The poem's concluding lines—"what / I remember best is that / the door to your room was / the door to mine"—capture the essence of the memory being recounted. The shared space, symbolized by the shared door, represents the closeness and unity of the relationship. The physical proximity of the rooms is a metaphor for the emotional closeness between the speaker and the other person, highlighting how intertwined their lives were during this time.

"I Remember" is a poem that resonates with the bittersweet nature of memory, where the small, seemingly insignificant details of a shared experience take on profound meaning when viewed through the lens of nostalgia. Sexton's use of sensory imagery and precise language allows the reader to fully inhabit this remembered moment, evoking the warmth, simplicity, and intimacy of a summer that has passed but continues to live on in memory. The poem is a testament to the power of memory to capture the essence of our most cherished relationships and experiences, preserving them in all their vivid, tactile beauty.

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