The verses in Thirty-Three Poems, author William Sexton's first collection, address a wide variety of topics from the heart of his own emotions. He examines his own feelings and anxieties about high school and explores thoughts on the earth and the environment. The verses detail his high school experiences for better or worse and illustrate the hopelessness that he felt because of the carelessness of people who mistreat the earth and her resources. Other verses were inspired by the times when he felt most deeply connected to his emotional center; these served as important emotional outlets and convey the deeply felt reactions of Sexton to the world at large. Biting Time Anger and frustration They eat at me like bugs Thousands of them Swarming me And knowing at my lungs I want to tear them into bits And kick the mangled husk Now my time is running short And rushing me to dusk I wish that clock would melt in fear And ever after shed its tears I want the time to drink its blood To slowly my racing heart Thud Thud Thud If only that which time would spare Was just enough to wash my hair
