Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Menstruation at Forty," Anne Sexton delves into the complex emotions surrounding the passage of time, the loss of fertility, and the unfulfilled desires for motherhood. The poem, with its vivid imagery and introspective tone, captures the speaker's deep yearning for a child, particularly a son, while simultaneously confronting the inevitability of aging and death.

The poem opens with the speaker contemplating the idea of a son, immediately establishing a sense of longing. The imagery of the womb, described as neither a clock nor a tolling bell, suggests that the body operates on its own mysterious timeline, independent of external measures. The speaker feels the weight of time, both in her body and on the calendar, as she approaches her birthday in November—a month often associated with decay and the end of cycles. This connection to the end of harvest symbolizes the speaker's sense of loss and the closing of a chapter in her life.

Sexton's use of the phrase "I hunt for death" is particularly striking, as it conveys a desire to confront the finality that she feels approaching. The repetition of the line "I was thinking of a son..." serves as a refrain, emphasizing the persistent thought of what could have been. The speaker imagines the son she never had, questioning what he might have been like, and whether he would have inherited traits from her or from his father. The potential for life that never materialized becomes a haunting presence, with the speaker pondering the names David and Susan—names that represent the children she never bore.

The poem's tone shifts as the speaker grapples with her own mortality, lamenting that she will die without the traditional rites of passage, such as baptism. The reference to her death on her name day, a day that should be a celebration, instead becomes a symbol of the life not fully realized. The imagery of a "bad spider" and the invocation of Scorpio, the astrological sign associated with death and transformation, reflects the speaker's internal struggle with her own identity and the role that fate has played in her life.

As the poem progresses, the speaker becomes increasingly fixated on the idea of death, personifying it with vivid imagery. The "warm room" where blood flows suggests both the literal space of the womb and the metaphorical space of life and death. The open door on its hinges symbolizes the threshold between life and death, inviting the inevitable in. The blood, worn like a corsage, represents the physical manifestation of the speaker's fertility, now fading, and the approach of her own end.

The poem's conclusion is a powerful meditation on unfulfilled desire and the passage of time. The speaker imagines the son she never had, calling his name, "David," over and over, as if willing him into existence. The repetition of his name becomes a mournful chant, embodying the speaker's longing for a life that never was. The imagery of the porch, a place of waiting and anticipation, underscores the speaker's eternal waiting for something that will never come to pass. The final lines, "two days gone in blood," encapsulate the speaker's realization that time is slipping away, along with the possibility of creating the life she so desperately desired.

"Menstruation at Forty" is a poignant exploration of the intersections between fertility, aging, and mortality. Through her introspective and evocative language, Sexton captures the deep sense of loss that accompanies the passage of time and the unfulfilled potential of life. The poem resonates with the universal experience of confronting the limitations of one's own body and the inevitability of death, making it a powerful reflection on the human condition.

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