Welcome to Poem of the Day – The Rowing Endeth by Anne Sexton
Anne Sexton was a powerful and emotional voice in American poetry. Her work often explored personal pain, mental illness, and the search for spiritual understanding. One of her most moving poems, “The Rowing Endeth,” is the final piece in her Pulitzer Prize-winning collection The Awful Rowing Toward God (1975). This poem marks the end of a long spiritual journey, one filled with struggle, doubt, and a deep yearning for peace.
The Rowing Endeth Explanation
The Journey of the Soul
The title itself, “The Rowing Endeth,” suggests a conclusion. It signals the end of hard work, of effort, and of striving. Sexton uses the image of rowing to represent life’s spiritual journey. In earlier poems from the collection, she describes herself rowing through stormy seas, fighting against despair, and seeking God. In this final poem, she finds rest.
This journey can be seen as both physical and spiritual. The rowing is her effort to reach something greater—a sense of God, of peace, or of meaning. The end of this journey is not a loud victory but a quiet surrender.
Meeting God
In the poem, Sexton imagines herself being pulled from her small boat and welcomed by a great presence—God. But this is not the traditional, stern God of old. Instead, He is kind and gentle. He understands her pain and welcomes her with love.
She writes:
“And God held in His hand a thousand souls / and me He dropped on the rocky shore.”
This moment is symbolic. It shows that God is in control, and that she has finally reached a place where she can stop struggling. The “rocky shore” may represent reality, or even death—but it is not a place of fear. It is a place of peace.
Themes of Surrender and Acceptance
One of the strongest themes in the poem is surrender. Sexton accepts that she cannot find peace through her own effort alone. She must let go. This is a spiritual lesson found in many traditions—the idea that peace comes when we stop fighting and trust something beyond ourselves.
The poem also reflects acceptance. Sexton does not demand answers from God. She simply receives what is given. In the end, she is no longer rowing. She is no longer trying to control everything. This is a powerful and emotional conclusion to her journey.
A Poem of Peace
Despite the deep emotional struggles seen in earlier poems, “The Rowing Endeth” ends with peace. The speaker is no longer in pain. She is no longer lost. She has been “dropped” into a new place—perhaps heaven, perhaps inner peace, or simply rest.
Conclusion
Anne Sexton’s “The Rowing Endeth” is a deeply moving poem. It speaks to anyone who has struggled with faith, pain, or the search for meaning. Through simple yet powerful images, Sexton shows how peace can come not through force, but through surrender.
This poem stands as a fitting end—not only to the book—but to the life journey it describes. It reminds us that in the end, there can be calm. The rowing, at last, ends.
