My Writing Poetry By Sylvia Plath

Since I was young, there was a communication barrier that existed between me and the outside world. My shyness led me to many downfalls on my academic side. Not understanding a topic would mean that I would never be able to clarify any questions that were on my mind. Until around 6th grade, I always considered myself introverted; I had the inability to blend in with strangers, peers and teachers.

Poets, Judith Wright, Sylvia Plath and Emily Dickenson all express their views on life and death, however, do so in varying manners. Through imagery, Wright and Plath both consider life’s beginnings, however, Wright considers it to be a beautiful gift, whereas Plath views birth as an empty burden. Subsequently, through structure Dickenson and Wright each acknowledge life, expressing how in some cases it is difficult, yet in other circumstances it is celebrated. Finally, through tone, Dickenson and Plath convey their views on death, yet differ in that Plath believes it is purifying and holds a sick fascination with it, while Dickenson instead holds a unique curiosity about it. Therefore, whilst each poet recognises the journey of birth,

Sylvia Plath was a troubled writer to say the least, not only did she endure the loss of her father a young age but she later on “attempted suicide at her home and was hospitalized, where she underwent psychiatric treatment” for her depression (Dunn). Writing primarily as a poet, she only ever wrote a single novel, The Bell Jar. This fictional autobiography “[chronicles] the circumstances of her mental collapse and subsequent suicide attempt” but from the viewpoint of the fictional protagonist, Esther Greenwood, who suffers the same loss and challenges as Plath (Allen 890). Due to the novel’s strong resemblance to Plath’s own history it was published under the pseudonym “Victoria Lucas”. In The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath expresses the

On monday night, poets Michael Waters and Mihaela Moscaliuc read their poems at the visiting writers series. It was the first time I have heard live poetry and it was a different, as well as challenging, experience. As I am used to analyzing and tearing apart poems on paper, it posed an obstacle as I had to merely sit and listen. The sound aspect of poetry was emphasized. I could not sit down and reread the poem, and make connections, I had to experience the poem as a moment.

My apprehension only seemed to grow as the time dragged on. Suddenly, I heard our school name. Adrenaline rushed through me as we ran out onto the mats with gaudy smiles on out faces. The music thundered behind us as we jumped, stunted, and danced. It felt like it was over in a heartbeat. The experience as a whole left me utterly exhausted; so much in fact that when it came time for awards, I was quite frankly too worn out to care. We had done our best and there was nothing we could do to alter our fate at that point. Still, I couldn't help but attempt to play back our performance in my head. "We were nowhere near as natural or well put together as the other teams." I muttered. As it turned out, I was correct. We placed last in our

The beautiful thing about poetry is that it can be written in so many forms, about numerous topics and can have its own personalized sound. Billy Collins brings poetry to life in a simple and fun way that many poets never accomplish. It is obvious in the “Introduction to Poetry,” he is emphasizing the need for people to look into poetry in a different light and divulge into the true meaning instead of reading it in such a surface manner or over analyzing it. His work highlights the use of imagery bringing the words to life on the page, encouraging the reader to take it easy and enjoy the words of the poetry. His journey as U.S. Poet Laureate lead to students across America having access to a poem per day being shared at school, enhancing the knowledge and desire for poetry across the nation (Collins, “Poetry 180”). Although Collins’ approach to poetry was unconventional and focused on experience, he allows readers everywhere to feel his words - tangible and full of life.

In today’s modern view, poetry has become more than just paragraphs that rhyme at the end of each sentence. If the reader has an open mind and the ability to read in between the lines, they discover more than they have bargained for. Some poems might have stories of suffering or abuse, while others contain happy times and great joy. Regardless of what the poems contains, all poems display an expression. That very moment when the writer begins his mental journey with that pen and paper is where all feelings are let out. As poetry is continues to be written, the reader begins to see patterns within each poem. On the other hand, poems have nothing at all in common with one another. A good example of this is in two poems by a famous writer by

There are several ways to look at the poem, Lady Lazarus and one of those ways is that it could be looked at suicide and also about someone who is obviously emotionally troubled with this self-fulfilling satisfaction in killing herself. It’s like a prophecy that needs to be fulfilled and she does so every so often; at least every decade. Also, the poem could be said to be about someone with a severe mental disorder which explains the radical behavior of the suicidal attempts every now and then and she takes pleasure in doing so.

The use of different literary devices such as imagery, symbolism and diction set up a poem that is addictive to read! Once it is started, it’s hard to stop. This poem offers a welcoming story for our reader to enjoy.

I have always been sort of a shy kid; I kept to myself and did not interact with other people if I did not have to.

When I came to the age where it was time to go to school, I was horrified. I remember most mornings it was a struggle for my mom to drop me off. After years went by, my shyness seemed to get a little bit better, especially after moving to Texas in fifth grade. Throughout middle school I wasn't as shy but I still kept only a few close friends and would never speak to a large group of people. It wasn't until high school, where I finally broke out of my shell into the person I've always wanted to be.

Not all poems fall into the category of epic poetry or ballads. Some pieces are short and concise rather than lengthy and elegant. A shorter poem may focus more thoroughly on diction, or the author’s specific choice of words, rather than things such as rhyme scheme or meter. Langston Hughes poem “Suicide’s Note” is a perfect example of this. Because it is only twelve words long, every single word is important and chosen carefully. This poem uses many literary techniques, none more than diction, to achieve its purpose. which is to focus on the split-second decision that is suicide.

Even at a young age, Sylvia Plath was motivated and determined to be successful. She was only eight years old when her first poem “What I See and Hear on Hot Summer Nights” was published in The Boston Herold. After the death of her father, the family was forced to move from their home near the ocean as a result of financial problems. Caroline King Barnard Hall states that:

Esther Greenwood, the main character, is the most obvious comparison to Sylvia Plath herself. Esther is a troubled girl who is gifted with intelligence and scholarships to fancy schools and opportunities, but still finds herself in a pit of depression she can’t crawl out of. Both Esther and Sylvia are extremely intelligent, Sylvia being gifted with an IQ of 160. Sylvia shows her descent into depression through Esther, gradually getting worse and worse as she goes through college and realizes she has no idea what to do with her life.

Wrapped in gaseous mystique, Sylvia Plath’s poetry has haunted enthusiastic readers since immediately after her death in February, 1963. Like her eyes, her words are sharp, apt tools which brand her message on the brains and hearts of her readers. With each reading, she initiates them forever into the shrouded, vestal clan of her own mind. How is the reader to interpret those singeing, singing words? Her work may be read as a lone monument, with no ties to the world she left behind. But in doing so, the reader merely grazes the surface of her rich poetics. Her poetry is largely autobiographical, particularly Ariel and The Bell Jar, and it is from this frame of mind that the reader interprets the work as a