Sad "Metaphors" of Sylvia Plath

In the poem”Metaphors” Sylvia Plath is portraying her pregnancy in metaphors. Her nine syllables riddle is actually this nine line, nine syllables poem about herself during pregnancy. Pregnancy is a strange time when one’s body does not seem to belong to them; another person is being constructed within it. One can imagine the lack of control one must feel in this period. Especially a sensitive woman like Sylvia Plath this time of her life probably seems like a nightmarish dream.
Sylvia brings in the images that metaphorically describe her state of being and the way she feels about her newly acquired “passenger”. Especially in the line ” A melon strolling on two tendrils” we get a sense of how she might look physically – a very late term pregnancy, that she looks as if a melon stood up on its tiny vines and tried to walk.
Ambivalence is felt lightly in Plath’s voice, it seems as she is unsure of how to react to her current state. She seems to have no feelings of happiness or sadness, unlike many mothers-to-be who are overjoyed by their pregnancies.
This is a wonderful yet dreary poem, Plath seems to convey to us the ambivalence she experiences towards her state and in a way questions her purpose in life. Not only that, it seems she would reverse her state if she could “Boarded the train there's no getting off” , but it’s too late now.
Knowing Plath’s biography, it is probable that she had some psychological issues during and after her pregnancy.(she was suicidal and eventually succeeded). It is possible that her last and successful suicide attempt was due to an untreated postpartum depression.

In Golden Gaate Park That Day

Ferlinghett's poem sums up the intricate emotion and behavior of a couple who are no longer interested in each other and carry on together for a show.Just like a beat up old flute that no one plays or the grapes that are just being handed out as a little joke; os is the relationship between the two is a joke that is being carried on for a show.

The banality of life is clearly stated in this poetic expression. Not too long ago and even to this day, couples would carry on their loveless affairs of marriage through years of "terrible depression" and "without any particular expression". This poem might also signify the disconnection that men and women have, lack of communication in relationship, disconnect from each other and lack of appreciation of the beauty around and next to them.

Sad "Metaphors" of Sylvia Plath

Re-posted for current week

A thought on Bob Kaufman's "On"

In Bob Kaufman’s poem “On” it is evident that the poet is referring to many personal experiences as well as alluding to various socio-political events or issues. As Lindberg notes it in her biography on Kaufman “his elusive and allusive writings” it is evident that Kaufman was affected deeply by “political blacklisting and harassment, alcohol, drugs, electroshock treatments, and imprisonment” yet he kept a bright outlook on life and kept a lighter and more humorous tome in his work. “On neuro-corners… On alcohol corners…On lonely poet corners” are just a few of author’s personal experiences that are alluded to in the poem “On”. Kaufman also speaks out his mind on other socio-political and cultural issues without explicitly stating his opinions or attitudes. Just like other poems “Jazz Chick” and “Round About Midnight” seem to have a jazzy tone to it, sort of rhythm, a flow of words; I can almost hear a double bass strings being plucked to echo the words

An Epiphany through "An Epiphany" by Kooser

This was not a sudden epiphany that came to me, rather a slow and gradual realization... Our world is full of contrast and motion through states of life and death. Just like Kooser, in his poem “An Epiphany” he encounters death up-close. Brown recluse spider is considered to be the most venomous spider in continental US, and obviously Kooser is in very close proximity to it

“She ran down the gleaming white floor

of the bathtub”

or may be he was even about to step into the bathtub. It is possible that the image of the spider dragging poet’s wife’s hair along the floor of the tub, triggered one of the memories of his wife

“… a curl

she might idly have turned on a finger,

she might idly have twisted, speaking to me, ”

which might indicate that this could have been his last sigh if he got bitten by the recluse spider.

The epiphany is that Kooser sees how one’s life can be over while performing such a mundane task of visiting a washroom; plus an otherwise unnoticed world exists in the most tiniest of places.