Coming into 80: Poems Book

May Sarton offers her readers a view from 80 in this collection of poems. I loved the poems that focus on themes related to aging: the decay of the body, the loss of friends, the role of memory, the passing of time. She has honed her craft for decades, and she uses her skills to great affect. After suffering a stroke and having limited energy, Sarton writes poems that convey the essence of her experience. The style is minimalist, but her skill allows great insight with a handful of images and a few well-chosen words.

My favorites:

"Coming Into Eighty" for its image of a worn ship coming into port.

"I Wanted Poems to Come" about the tension between the vibrancy of imagination and the limits of the aging body.

"The O's of November" with its attention to the boundary between the bounties of harvest time and the sleep of winter.

"Friendship and Illness" for its observations about the nature of long-term friendships.

"The Teacher" for its meditations on the role of pain.

"Getting Dressed" because it beautifully laments diminishing energy.

"Friend of Enemy" for its complex attitude towards one's own aging body.

"Wanting to Die" for its bold confession and sweet vulnerability.

"The Tides" for its perspective on time and memory. Here is a blog post I wrote in response to this particular poem:



"Bliss" for its celebration of life.

"The Ender, The Beginner" for its mix of wisdom and humor.

"Birthday Present" for it's zen-like quality.

I give these poems 5/5, but there are some occasional poems and some poems about very specific relationships that are harder for me to connect with. But I love, love, love those listed and find them worth reading and rereading.