Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Anne Sexton's "The Horoscope Poems: January 1st" offers a reflective commentary on family dynamics, financial legacy, and the role of poetry in the speaker's life. Using the framework of a horoscope that advises caution in financial affairs, the poem delves into the memories of a childhood shaped by economic privilege, the eventual loss of that wealth, and the speaker’s present-day relationship with both money and creative expression.

The poem opens with a direct reference to the horoscope's advice: "Today is favorable for joint financial affairs but do not / take any chances with speculation." This sets a tone of caution and prudence, which contrasts sharply with the memories of the speaker's father, who "played the market," and her mother, who "cut her coupons." These early lines establish the parents' different approaches to money—one speculative, the other thrifty—reflecting a household where financial matters were a significant part of daily life.

The imagery that follows paints a picture of a well-to-do family during a time of war: "The children ran in circles. / The maid announced, the soup's on. / The guns were cleaned on Sunday. / The family went out to shoot." These lines evoke a sense of routine and normalcy within a context of privilege and tradition, yet there is an underlying disquiet. The children’s play contrasts with the ritual of gun cleaning and hunting, suggesting a world where innocence coexists with the violence of war and the control of wealth. The image of ducks falling "down like fruit" adds to this juxtaposition, blending the natural world with the consequences of human actions, both in the microcosm of the family and in the broader context of the "big fat war."

The war, described as "profitable for daddy," highlights the moral complexities of wealth gained through conflict. The speaker’s father, driving a "pearl gray Caddy," represents the prosperity that the war afforded him, while the mother, driving a "pea green Ford," symbolizes a more modest, perhaps more grounded, existence. The contrast between the cars underscores the differences in how each parent related to their financial status and the material benefits it brought.

As the poem progresses, the tone shifts to one of loss and disillusionment: "In the end they used it up. / All that pale green dough." The accumulated wealth, once a source of comfort and security, is ultimately exhausted, a reminder of the impermanence of material success. The speaker reveals that "the rest I spent on doctors / who took it like gigolos," using the metaphor of gigolos to convey a sense of exploitation or transactional coldness in the medical world. This suggests that the remaining wealth was consumed by the needs of health care, leaving little behind.

In the present, the speaker reflects on her own financial situation: "My financial affairs are small. / Indeed they seem to shrink." There is a sense of modesty and perhaps a bit of resignation in these lines, as the speaker contrasts her current circumstances with the wealth of her upbringing. The metaphor "My heart is on a budget" poignantly captures the emotional constraints that accompany her financial limitations, indicating that her capacity for generosity or emotional openness is similarly restricted. Living "on the brink" suggests a precariousness not just in financial terms but in her emotional life as well.

Despite these constraints, the speaker finds solace in storytelling and poetry: "I tell it stories now and then / and feed it images like honey." This metaphor of feeding her heart with "images like honey" suggests that while her financial resources may be limited, she nourishes her spirit with creativity and imagination. Poetry becomes a form of sustenance, a way to cope with the limitations imposed by both past losses and present circumstances.

The final lines, "I will not speculate today / with poems that think they're money," underscore the speaker’s recognition of the intrinsic value of poetry, distinct from material wealth. The refusal to "speculate" with poetry indicates a deliberate choice to resist commodifying her creative work, to avoid treating her art as something transactional. This decision reflects a broader understanding that while money can be lost, the value of creative expression is enduring and immeasurable.

"The Horoscope Poems: January 1st" is a meditation on the intersections of money, memory, and creativity. Anne Sexton uses the lens of a horoscope to explore the legacies of wealth and the ways in which they shape identity and relationships. Through her evocative language and reflective tone, Sexton reveals the tension between the material and the spiritual, ultimately suggesting that while financial fortunes may rise and fall, the true wealth lies in the stories we tell and the images we create to sustain ourselves.

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