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A Story for Rose on the Midnight Flight to Boston Lyrics by Anne Sexton

To Bedlam and Part Way Back

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Until tonight they were separate specialties,
different stories, the best of their own worst.
Riding my warm cabin home, I remember Betsy's
laughter; she laughed as you did, Rose, at the first
story. Someday, I promised her, I'll be someone
going somewhere and we plotted it in the humdrum
school for proper girls. The next April the plane
bucked me like a horse, my elevators turned
and fear blew down my throat, that last profane
gauge of a stomach coming up. And then returned
to land, as unlovely as any seasick sailor,
sincerely eighteen; my first story, my funny failure.
Maybe Rose, there is always another story,
better unsaid, grim or flat or predatory.
Half a mile down the lights of the in-between cities
turn up their eyes at me. And I remember Betsy's
story, the April night of the civilian air crash
and her sudden name misspelled in the evening paper,
the interior of shock and the paper gone in the trash
ten years now. She used the return ticket I gave her.
This was the rude kill of her; two planes cracking
in mid-air over Washington, like blind birds.
And the picking up afterwards, the morticians tracking
bodies in the Potomac and piecing them like boards
to make a leg or a face. There is only her miniature
photograph left, too long now for fear to remember.
Special tonight because I made her into a story
that I grew to know and savor.
A reason to worry,
Rose, when you fix an old death like that,
and outliving the impact, to find you've pretended.
We bank over Boston. I am safe. I put on my hat.
I am almost someone going home. The story has ended.
Credits
Anne Sexton

Anne Sexton

About “A Story for Rose on the Midnight Flight to Boston” by Anne Sexton

Read the complete lyrics to "A Story for Rose on the Midnight Flight to Boston" by Anne Sexton from the album "To Bedlam and Part Way Back". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Poetry, Literature.

"A Story for Rose on the Midnight Flight to Boston" is performed by Anne Sexton. from the album "To Bedlam and Part Way Back" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "A Story for Rose on the Midnight Flight to Boston", explore more songs by Anne Sexton using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"A Story for Rose on the Midnight Flight to Boston" is credited to Anne Sexton. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"A Story for Rose on the Midnight Flight to Boston" appears on "To Bedlam and Part Way Back".

Visit the Anne Sexton artist page at /artist/anne-sexton for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.