Elegy for Sylvia Plath - pipTalk Forums

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Secret Whisper
Member

since 2001-01-25

Posts 298
Through the Looking Glass

0 posted 2002-03-23 08:13 PM

Three-time striker of gas dipped match
Three-time, outcry, broken down wretch
Where's your comeback now Sylvia Plath
You and Sexton in dirt condemned

Maybe model of my dirty life
With your 'sticky pearls' in your eye
Shall I follow without o'erdone strife
You and your comeback's have found their end

Poet unknown, 'till sooty bed you made
Now your rough words out-cry bade
Not I, follow yet, of pain derived
Seems your nine-lives ambition o'er bend

I'll join you and Sexton true
But not three-time comebacks use
This wide-eyed, time-tried, tabby knows
Herr Doktor cannot retrieve from where this soul goes

"Why should I live? Why should I do anything? Is there in life any purpose which the inevitable death that awaits me does not undo and destroy?" --Leo

Secret Whisper
Member

since 2001-01-25

Posts 298
Through the Looking Glass

1 posted 2002-03-23 08:43 PM

Here's some help for those of you who do not get the allusion: Sylvia Plath was a poet. Her and her best friend Anne Sexton killed themselves. Before however Sylvia Plath wrote a poem, I forget the name but it said that on one suicide attempt she had worms on her like 'sticky pearls'. She attempted suicide 3 times, and said she had nine lives like a cat, but on the third suicide attempt she didn't make what she called another, "comeback". Meaning that 'Herr Doktor' or as she called him 'Herr enemy' was unsucessful at reviving her.

"Why should I live? Why should I do anything? Is there in life any purpose which the inevitable death that awaits me does not undo and destroy?" --Leo

Mistletoe Angel

Member Empyrean

since 2000-12-17

Posts 32816
Portland, Oregon

2 posted 2002-03-23 09:05 PM

BRAVO!!! Oh Alice,this is a powerful poem indeed, though it is so very sad, I'm glad you put the caption below the poem or I would have missed the meaning of the poem! (big hugggsssssss) My heart goes out to her and her friend, dearest friend, it saddens me to see wonderful people commit suicide like that! This is sad but wonderful, sweet friend, we all love you so much! You have such a beautiful heart, sweet Alice, thank you for sharing!