Posthumously Published Work Summary

Many of Sexton's unedited, rough drafts of poetry were published after her death, and these appear in this collection as three distinct titles, the poems of 45 Mercy Street, Words For Dr. Y., and six that are listed simply as Last Poems. All of these are included in this collection mostly for the sake of posterity, as they are neither finished products nor particularly noteworthy except as a glimpse into the author's process and personal life. While these posthumously published poems are a fascinating addendum to the author's body of work, they are by no means Sexton's most significant poems.

Posthumously Published Work Analysis

It is difficult to provide an abundance of analysis for a group of poems that are cobbled together for the sake of posthumous publishing, as they tend to lack cohesion. 45 Mercy Street holds together most effectively...