Sylvia Plath (October 27, 1932 – February 11, 1963 / Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts)

After a quick look at some of Plath's poems one recognizes all over again how important it is to proof-read poems very carefully. Here a mistake in the last line is more important than the spelling howlers in some of the other poems glanced at.

The line should read ' The shadows of ringdoves chanting, but easing nothing'.

The frequency of mistakes soon creates a distrust in the reader, in particular when you are looking at a poet you are not familiar with. And before long you have lost another member.