You took my breath, Sylvia

 exhaled an insurgence of reckless words 

  onto the pages in an impetuous squeeze

aspirations bled disasters of pen's toxic desire

    insanity's reflections within polarizing ink

plummeting souls of a menacing sundown's revival

  tormenting praise's influence pain's abysmal grip

hero's name written in shadows of colossus 

    jar'd phrases before departure off daddy's ledge

     upon graffiti'd walls of Sylvia's egg rock psyche

knocking the world's poetic axis sideways in madness

  relegated to darkness, terrifying bump in the night

metaphors of an untimely light passage's prerogative

  gone of each labor'd breath's confessional release

sword bled a crimson siphon of exhaust's final tilt

   melancholy chants of 'I Am' resonate in my head

   brag of a familiar beat that collapsed a b*****d heart

footsteps knocked at the wither'd  mushroom sighs

  in notes left beyond a carbon monoxide winter's gate

Author's Note

Reviews

[icelandicblue]

This is gorgeously sad. You've captured events from her life with a profound empathy for her suffering and for her untimely ending. I love her work but it pains me that her brilliance came from such a dark and deep place that eventually she just embraced it. She was her most prolific in the months before she died. I've always thought of it as the calm before the storm. You've done a wonderful job in your tribute to her and the in creating the loss we feel when we read this.

[Frieda P]

She was indeed a tortured soul, one of my favorite poets, her brilliance did come from a dark place mostly, I don't think she realized how much she'd be missed and celebrated. Thanks so much Anne.

[Coyote Poetry]

I read her words. I had to write a report on her for a class. Her poetry made me sad. Many artist want death over life. Her story is a sad one. Thank you for sharing and remembering a great Poet who died too young.
Coyote

[redzone]

How many more beautiful young women do we lose to the horrors that women endure even before they are born... Sylvia, did turn poetry sideways, upside down and in doing so made it better, more human. I started read her "Bell Jar", but put it down unfinished on page 97, mainly cause I knew how it would end and it brought tears of anguish and hatred for her suffering. She arose from the ashes, and "ate men like air", but not enough to survive and be happy; not enough.

These 3 lines rocked my heart Frieda: "aspirations bled disasters of pen's toxic desire
insanity's reflections within polarizing ink
plummeting souls of a menacing sundown's revival"...

how many more Frieda, most not having the talents to write as Sylvia; most, like Sylvia, just trying to survive day to day "normal life" but unlike Sylvia are unknown except to friends and family... One thing about your poem that goes beyond the poem and its artistry, is that it helps us all understand and perhaps to be inspired to change these conditions... I know I have felt your words deeply... ~~redzone

[Chris Micha]

Very beautiful tortured piece of writting you have created. I haven't had the honor of reading her work but I will now. I enjoyed it my dear friend. Bravo!!!

[Michael Stevens]

I hadn't heard the name; such was my loss, a fine tribute!

[Mark]

I read Plath long ago in high school. In your rambling run on descriptions I feel a frenzied sense of her.

[Bright Ocean Star]

Frieda, this is powerful and deeply saddening, contemplations of madness, so many people suffer from the depressive blackness of chemical depression. She had an enormous gift, she shared with the world, but she obviously couldn't keep the darkness out of her soul. Thank you for sharing this tribute to a wonderful, talented lady. I learn something new from you every day. Be blessed....

[Ayvid N]

A beautiful and profound tribute for an admired poet.

My favorite line:
"knocking the world's poetic axis sideways in madness"

Much appreciated Frieda.

[Patricia]

There is no doubt who the poem is about...beautiful sadness by a beautiful pen. Excellent work. :)

[BlackRose]

Wonderfully sorrowed piece. Her life is written well here of the mental illness that plagued her. She was a brilliant writer nonetheless.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

you had to know i would love this, Frieda....since she is (next to emily) my favorite poet...and one i did my masters thesis on, along with Anne Sexton...

sylvia was such genius...if only her a*****e husband had an ounce of her talent and/or compassion.