Throwback Thursday: Sylvia Plath
Morning, Prosers.
This week's TBT is a Throwback to the time where @LillyZ and @DaveK wrote this beauty. Feast your eyes on this and check the bottom of the piece for the link to the beautiful infographic only on The Prose Blog.
Sylvia Plath was born in Massachusetts in 1932 and died by suicide at the age of 30 in 1963 while living in London. While literature will always honor her as a beacon of brilliance, let us strive to be who she should have been, not who she was. The legacy of Sylvia Plath reminds us that no matter how talented we are, we are still human and prone to frailty.
Sylvia Plath was first published at the age of eight in the Boston Herald and would be published on several occasions during this time in her life. Her father also died when she was eight from complications with diabetes. His death effected her deeply, causing her to lose faith in her Christian upbringing and most likely contributed to her lifelong battle with depression. Sylvia’s first national publication was printed in the Christian Science Monitor when she was 18 years old. She attended Smith College and graduated with honors despite a brief stay in a psychiatric care facility where she received electroconvulsive shock therapy for depression. Her first suicide attempt was by taking sleeping pills and crawling under her mother’s house to die. She stayed in the crawl space for three days before being discovered. She also drove her car into a river and would eventually die from carbon monoxide poisoning with her head in the oven and wet towels at the base of the doors to keep the fumes from her children. While there is a debate on whether or not she really planned to die, an officer at the scene is quoted as saying she “had really meant to die.”
Sylvia married poet Ted Hughes only a few months after they met when she was 24. She said that he had a writing voice like “the thunder of God.” The two would separate after she learned he had been sleeping with another woman. She died six months later. After hearing the news, Hughes said in a letter that “That’s the end of my life. The rest is posthumous.” He chose the inscription on her gravestone that reads, “Even amidst fierce flames the golden lotus can be planted.” Her headstone has been vandalized numerous times by admirers angered by Hughes name on the stone, attempting to scratch it out so Sylvia’s would be the only name left. When Hughes’ mistress, Assia Wevill, killed herself and their four-year old daughter, the vandalism became more frequent. Hughes has repeatedly had the stone removed for repair. Sylvia’s son, Nicholas Hughes, killed himself in 2009 after a history with depression.
Sylvia Plath advanced the genre of confessional poetry, publishing poetry collections and novels before being awarded the Pulitzer Prize after her death in 1982 for The Collected Poems. A critic said of Plath that, “The horrifying tone of her poetry underscores a depth of feeling that can be attributed to few other poets…Plath writes of the human dread of dying. Her primitive honesty and emotionalism are her strength.” In 2000, it was reported that there were more than 104 books in print about her. Though her life was brief, Sylvia Plath left a legacy that will outlive historical events 1,000 years in the making. We can only celebrate what was while we mourn untold numbers of moving words that will never be, hoping that her legacy is one that inspires future writers to see how far their words can climb while their hearts still beat.
If you want to visit this piece in all its luscious image heavy glory, visit here, now: http://blog.theprose.com/2016/06/throwback-thursday-looks-sylvia-plath/
Thanks once again to @DaveK and @LillyZ, both of whom you should follow on Prose if you don't already!
Until next time, Prosers,
Prose.
Winning Goal
Write about a time you felt proud of yourself.
A time I was proud of myself was when I scored the winning goal of the National Cup Finals for Spurs in the 92nd minute. Being a striker is something I dreamed of since I first started playing football and to actually do it in such an important game was unreal.
The rush you get when you score any goal is just mad, but scoring a goal like that was just indescribable. From the moment I received the ball to when the opposing team kicked off again, was just a blur, but when that ball hit the back of the net, my face was probably priceless.
When we realized it had gone in, I just remember all my teammates jumping on me, even the players on the bench, my manager and the coach. To make us all winners was one of the best feelings I’ve ever felt and will be until the day I die. It was emotional to say the least.
Justice Undetermined
Write a poem about justice.
Is this really justice?
I really don’t know
Sitting in my cell
Looking out the window
No shops, no roads
No people I can see
Only other prisoners
In the same position as me
Having flashbacks from court
When the judge finally said
Be prepared for the next
4 ½ years ahead
My head hung down
I was leaving my freedom behind
Nothing but my family
Was running through my mind
The bloke was an arsehole
Why couldn’t this be seen?
I just wanted him away from me
The horrible little fiend
Shouting and pointing in my face
Who did he think he was?
I should’ve stopped and thought about this
And put the world on pause
Instead the fight was finished
Before I even knew it
Hunting season .....
deer
fear
the sound of sharp noise
white noise
increased heartbeat
the sound of sticks, rustle
a doe with her fawn(s)
frozen in time
the hunter is amazed
by a dazed daydream
spots, strawberry red body
auburn aesthetic
whitetail wonderland
a change of heart
time to bury bullets
time to feed out of palm
stay gentle, stay calm
no movement
quiet enjoyment
an ornament moment
(K.M.M.)
Friday Feature @Poetsdream
We hope this Friday finds you well, happy, still full of turkey and stuffing and without a hangover. It may be the day after Thanksgiving for our American Prosers, but for the rest of us, we are just happy it's Friday. Yes, of course, that means Friday Feature time. This week we hear from someone that we hope you know of; but if you don't, you soon will.
P: What is your given name and your Proser username?
K: Kevin / Poetsdream
P: Where do you live?
K: Chesapeake, Va
P: What is your occupation?
K: Material handler on an assembly line at Stihl inc
P: What is your relationship with writing and how has it evolved?
K: Writing poetry basically saved my life. I began writing in 1995, at the age of 16.
Growing up, I suffered with severe depression that almost led me to suicide. I worked at a seafood restaurant for 2 years through high school. I struggled immensely, my manager noticed me very down, cutting myself and overall really sad. He took me under his wing and mentored me all the time I was there at work. Several times after work, he would stay with me and talk to me all night to get me on a positive road. It got so bad, he took me to a hospital without my parents knowing because he thought I was a threat to myself.
He introduced me into poetry back in 1995, where I never knew I had a writer within me. I started writing tons of poems, pouring out all my feelings on paper and things started to get better for me. After being hospitalized, I continued writing and it became a therapy for me. I needed to write all the time and when I did I felt so much better. My mentor's name was Scott and if I wasn’t for him, I don’t know where I would be today.
He gave me the life that I have today and I owe my life to him. I am doing better now and have learned many things from my friend Scott. Today, I constantly want to pay my experience forward and help high school kids today struggling with depression, self esteem issues etc. I plan on doing that soon as I know my story will resemble many kids today, I plan on using my poetry for an aide to help others like I was helped by my friend/mentor Scott. [Prose salutes both Scott and Kevin]
P: What value does reading add to both your personal and professional life?
K: I honestly don’t read much. I have never been diagnosed with it but I think I may have ADD. I have a very difficult time focusing and reading chapter after chapter of books. My attention span is quite short. I do read Runners World magazine and I do have poetry books that I read from other author friends I know. I know reading is very important and it can really improve the craft of writing. Poetry is pretty much straight and to the point that’s why I enjoy reading things of that nature.
P: Describe your current literary ventures and what can we look forward to in the future.
K: Through the years, I compiled so many poems, that in 2012 I started publishing my own books which was a dream of mine to do. I always wanted someone to see what’s inside my mind. This is where I came up with the name called Poetsdream. Currently I have 4 books self published on Amazon.com under my name Kevin Amon, I am also working on 4 more which have a few more things I need to do with them to publish them. In 2014, I was on a local TV show where I live, talking about my experience with my writing and my story behind it. You can search that video on youtube, its called "I am Hampton Roads Kevin Amon"[The link is attached below - Prose]. Just put that in the search box if you would enjoy seeing it. It was so much fun doing the TV interview and I brought my handicapped dog on the show named Hogan [Prose's heart has exploded from the love]. I brought him along talking about my journey with depression and how he is so happy even with his condition. He creates a positive mood for me and really helps me everyday caring for him and his condition.
P: What do you love about Prose?
K: I found Prose about 4 months ago. I was searching for something new and interesting. I love it here, its very inviting and a great community of awesome writers. Prose by leaps and bounds is my favorite place because the people are so nice here and there is no negativity. I really enjoy reading other's work and commenting on people's work. I’m very glad I found this site and I really can’t get enough reading all the great poets here. I would love to see a video version too, where poets could have a virtual open mic for all to view their poetry. That would be so much fun.
P: Is there one book that you would recommend everybody should read before they die?
K: I’m not much of a reader which I should be more of, but I feel reading any poetry book can give you great insight on life’s perspectives. To me, poetry is real, raw, and straight to the point in which all can relate to. Grab any poetry book is what I recommend.
P: Do you have an unsung hero who got you into reading and/or writing?
K: My mentor and friend Scott who I owe my life to. I will never stop writing because of him
P: Describe yourself in three words!
K: Romantic, Passionate, Determined
P: Is there one quote, from a writer or otherwise, that sums you up?
K: Actually, a quote I came up with that’s in my first book: “Life is like an ax splitting through a piece of wood, sometimes it’s hard to get through”
P: Favourite music to write and/or read to?
K: I don’t usually listen to music when I write. I just have so much on my mind that I don’t need much to get my feelings out.
P: You climb out of a time machine into a dystopian future with no books. What do you tell them?
K: Let’s go grab a cup of coffee :)
P: Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you/your work/social media accounts?
K: Besides writing for over 20 years, I am an avid runner. I’ve been running for 10 years now which also saved my life. Growing up with depression I was also really heavy at a weight of 255lbs. I started running 10 years ago and the weight came off. For years now, I am currently 200lbs and altogether lost 10” on my waist. I would say many of my titles for my poems were created while I am running. I do listen to music when I run and I come up with ideas either personal or made up. I create poems/ideas along my path running. I would come up with a title and immediately write down it down once I got home. Sometimes I would have a bunch of titles and pick and choose which one I feel like writing at the given time..........I also have a youtube page with a few videos there under my full name again Kevin Amon. I actually have a few videos with me dressed up like Hulk Hogan promoting my current books on amazon. its quite funny and actually sold some books from the videos alone. I do also have a facebook page called poetsdream to where I post several times a week.
What an inspiring, heartfelt and wonderful Friday Feature it is this week. Please, you know what to do. Follow Kevin, interact and do what the Prose community does best.
If you want to feature, or want someone else on Prose to feature, then do please get in touch at paul@theprose.com
Those that we’ve taken the time to message and send the questions out to, do please send the answers back or tell us if you are no longer interested in featuring. Thanks, all.
Prose
The Give in World
I saw the best minds of my generation
black markers in hand
applying them
to piss stained walls
Howling at the mooooooon
rhyming it with May
drowning in beer
killing fears
calling each other dude
high five!
awesome!
I saw the best minds of my generation
dressed as
cardboard cutouts
in therapy
wanking to
live porn
wiping grease
off burger chins
fearing for death
of unrealized life
I saw the best minds of my generation
destroyed by -
the best minds of my generation
Breaking the Block
I wait for the flow of new words
but writing veins are filled with empty,
bled out and dehydrated, can’t switch
the sun back on to illuminate thoughts.
Bruised passion has erased memories,
thick candle wicks have been clipped,
waiting for a piece of space – a solitude
compelling phrases on my paper.
Frozen in shadowed snowdrifts,
I pray as I count seconds of my life
lingering as I try to catch lost nuances,
drowning in reverberating, desolate rain
soaking my mind so ideas can’t reign,
awake in fetal state, asleep in syllables
following black crows leading the way
past the roadblocks of parched lips
trapped in desperate unyielding flesh
whispering myths, waiting to trace
smoke signals of unique words
rejuvenating yesterday’s fancy.