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

poet Sylvia Plath
#13 on top 500 poets
Sylvia Plath

Born in 1932 to middle class parents in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, Sylvia Plath published her first poem at the age of eight. A sensitive person who tended to be a bit of a perfectionist she was what many would consider a model daughter and student - popular, a straight A student, always winning the best prizes. She won a scholarship to Smith College in 1950 and even then she had an enviable list of publications. While at Smith she wrote over four hundred poems.

However, beneath the surface of her seeming perfection were some grave discontinuities, some which probably were caused by the death of her father, an entomologist, when she was eight. During the summer after her ... more »

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Popular Poems

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More poems of Sylvia Plath »

Quotations

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  • I only know that a rook
    Ordering its black feathers can so shine
    As to seize me senses, haul
    My eyelids up, and grant

    A brief respite from fear
    Of total neut...
    Sylvia Plath (1932-1963), U.S. poet. Black Rook in Rainy Weather (l. 27-32). . . The Penguin book of Bird Poetry. Peggy Munserber, ed. (1984) Peng...
    80 person liked.
    		19 person did not like.
  • A certain minor light may still
    Leap incandescent

    Out of kitchen table or chair
    As if a celestial burning took
    Possession of the most obtuse objects now and then...
    Sylvia Plath (1932-1963), U.S. poet. Black Rook in Rainy Weather (l. 14-18). . . The Collected Poems [Sylvia Plath]. Ted Hughes, ed. (1981) Harper...
    54 person liked.
    		20 person did not like.
  • ''I used to pray to recover you.
    Ach, du.''
    Sylvia Plath (1932-1963), U.S. poet. Daddy (l. 14-15). . . The Collected Poems [Sylvia Plath]. Ted Hughes, ed. (1981) HarperCollins.
    23 person liked.
    		5 person did not like.
  • ''Daddy, I have had to kill you.''
    Sylvia Plath (1932-1963), U.S. poet. Daddy (l. 6). . . The Collected Poems [Sylvia Plath]. Ted Hughes, ed. (1981) HarperCollins.
    24 person liked.
    		6 person did not like.
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Comments about Sylvia Plath

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  • Suze Collett (4/29/2012 10:16:00 PM)

    I'm unable to access any of her poems, the links appear dead at this moment. Has their been a dispute in sharing her poetry on here, or this is a temporary technical glitch?

    7 person liked.
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  • Cherie Chetyrbok (2/21/2012 12:48:00 AM)

    I have been a SylviaPlath fan since I was a teen. I still love her, and am amazed with her talent. Some say she did not get treatment bc it might have diluted her talent...sad. Very sad end to a brillaint woman. A real loss.

    23 person liked.
    		6 person did not like.
  • Favour idrissa (2/19/2012 3:15:00 AM)

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    10 person liked.
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  • Eva P (2/15/2012 2:09:00 PM)

    what is wrong here, copyrights?

    6 person liked.
    		14 person did not like.
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