And I. I too. Quite collected at cocktail parties, meanwhile in my head I'm undergoing open heart surgery

And I. I too. Quite collected at cocktail parties, meanwhile in my head I'm undergoing open heart surgery

Anne Sexton was a poet known for her raw and confessional style of writing, delving into the depths of her own psyche and emotions. The quote “And I. I too. Quite collected at cocktail parties, meanwhile in my head I'm undergoing open heart surgery” perfectly encapsulates the dichotomy of Sexton’s public persona and inner turmoil.

On the surface, Sexton appeared composed and put together, able to navigate social situations with ease and grace. She could charm and engage others with her wit and intelligence, seamlessly blending into the crowd at cocktail parties and social gatherings. However, beneath this facade, Sexton was grappling with intense emotional pain and inner turmoil. Like undergoing open heart surgery, she was constantly dissecting and examining her own emotions, laying bare her vulnerabilities and fears in her poetry.

Sexton’s struggles with mental illness, particularly depression, were a central theme in her work. She often wrote about her own experiences with therapy, hospitalization, and suicide attempts, shedding light on the dark and tumultuous thoughts that plagued her mind. The juxtaposition of her outward appearance of composure and her internal struggles highlights the disconnect between how we present ourselves to the world and the battles we face within.