Erdhexe

I love Sylvia Plath. I don't like all of her poems, but the vast majority were, imo, great.

I don't see anything wrong with being influenced by other poets and writers. As a matter of fact, it helps to develop and to find one's own style. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to completely mimick or copy another writer. I think that one's own personality has something to do with that.

To read great poems can only improve your own.

Claudia

rainhands

Wow, saying that you don't want to read other poets because you might be influenced by them is crazy! How do you expect to learn anything about poetry? How can you enjoy poetry without reading it? Isn't reading poetry just as important, if not more important, than writing poetry? Who do you expect to read your poetry if everyone takes that approach? *hyperventilates*

As for Plath, some of my favourites of hers are "You're", "Mirror" and "Daddy". She has the ability to really shock you with her use of language. I always come away from her poetry feeling slightly uneasy but amazed, too.

A revised edition of 'Ariel' came out recently, where you can see how she redrafted some of her poems from their original forms. It's fascinating stuff, if you're interested in not only her, but how other poets revise their work.

PrisonerOfPrey

Actually, the poets in the poetry forum seem to read my work a lot. I haven't posted anything in a while though . Anyways, I did realize that I would need to be influenced a bit. So I checked out some poetry books, Plath's really called to me though. (Thanks for the tip about her not being creative) Rainhands, I'm learning by reading poetry sometimes, readin a lot on the forums and writing a lot. I guess it's hard for other people to understand but i'm afraid too much will swamp my inner voice. I experiment a lot with style though, I've seen a lot in different styles. And I also read about a form, and write a poem from the definition. So it is technically an...epic...but quite easily original beause I wasn't modeling it after a specific epic I read.

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Now I lay me down to sleep/
With every passing thought I weep/
Lead me into nights dark bliss/
And let me wake in innocence. -Me

Wintermute

She's quite catchy:

"you do not do you do not do
Anymore, black shoe"

Tell me that doesn't get stuck in your head for a week.

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"I never desire to converse with a man who has written more than he has read." - Samuel Johnson

ms. vodka

i cannot stand sylvia plath.

i think she was overrated and has become an easy choice for women because she is so famous... and i think that rather than challenging what she was doing, which wasn't really that good - women taught by other women especially have been led to idolize her rather than searching for and finding other women to read who both wrote better and had stronger voices.

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confessions of a modern day poetess