Anne Sexton (1928 – 1974) was an American poet considered one of the pioneers of modern confessional poetry, though her artistry reached far beyond that genre. Her first collection, To Bedlam and Part Way Back, was published in 1960 to critical and public praise. It was followed by All My Pretty Ones in 1962.

During this period, Anne was receiving not only critical praise but prestigious awards as well. These included the Frost Fellowship, the Shelley Memorial Prize, a Ford Foundation grant, and many others. 

Sexton struggled mightily with mental illness during this fertile time in her creative life. By the time she won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1966, she had been hospitalized and attempted suicide several times.  Read More→