The bulk of Sexton’s formerly closed materials consists of correspondence between Sexton and her doctors, friends, and lovers. Many of these folders include poems by Sexton or from the person she is corresponding with. Also present are journals, audio tapes, and early drafts of poems

The journals are of particular note and contain typed transcripts of Sexton’s therapy tapes along with typed and handwritten entries recording her thoughts and emotions. They are extremely fragile and restricted from general access. Digital scans are available for use in the Ransom Center’s Reading and Viewing Room.

Also present are several folders of typed draft poems by Sexton, dating from the mid 1950s to the early 1960s. Sexton wrote that these works were to be destroyed at the time of her death, but after consulting with Sexton’s close friends and her editor, Sexton’s daughter and literary executor Linda Gray Sexton decided to contradict the directive and preserve the poems in Sexton’s papers.

Audio tapes of therapy sessions dating from the early 1960s have been transferred to the Ransom Center Sound Recording Collection. These are available for access in the Center’s Reading and Viewing room, but are not available for patron digitization copy requests.