The following version of this poem was used to create this guide: Sexton, Anne. “Her Kind.” Poetry Foundation, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/42560/her-kind. Note that all parenthetical citations refer to the line number from which the quotation is taken.“Her Kind” is a free-verse poem by American confessional poet Anne Sexton. It was first published in Sexton’s breakout collection, To Bedlam and Part Way Back. She included this poem against the advice of the more experienced poet John Holmes, who warned her that her open-hearted writing would disengage readers. This proved to be an empty warning, as Sexton was quickly praised for her intimate work. The poem explores stigma against women and minority identities throughout history, with the speaker expressing that she strongly identifies with their plight.