Conversations with Plath

Conversations with Plath

 

 

 

Sylvia and I talked in my sleep

she encouraged me

to not be so hard on Ted,

 

she posed that he just didn't understand

his effect on women,

and his thoughtlessness was unintended

 

he had no idea, except with poetry

brilliant she told me, brilliant

she loved his work far beyond loving him

 

"do not be so hard on the b*****d,"

she reproached

the man was genius,

absolute genius

she said she kissed the ground he walked on

until he betrayed her

 

then, she wanted to put him in the ground

but not his poetry...

she wanted to live with that till death do them part

 

she added to the sign on her cottage

that said "Yeats lived here"

under that she wrote "Hughes did not"

she cried for her babies

she cried for her suicides

she wept for her failed marriage

she exploded on the page

 

her pinnacle just as the end

rolled downhill toward her

gaining momentum

 

she told me not to be so hard on Ted

she handed me his book "Birthday Letters"

and said, "Don't you see how he loved me?"

 

I blinked away tears

I handed her some wet towels

she took me under her wing

 

we wrote poetry

and then died that day.

 

I am still hard on Ted.

 

 

erin-cilberto

9/3/22

Reviews

[Sami Khalil]

It looks like he devastated her, tore up the marriage and scarred the children forever. A sad tale that comes up in injustice courts and our poet's dream. I hate that some men can be heartless like this and think only about themselves.
I feel her struggles that ended in suicide.
Both are so talented, but one deserves and the other does not.
Long live Sir Jacob....

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Sami...I know there would be many who disagree with me about Ted and would say his women just had their own mental problems...but I just feel differently...
I appreciate your words,
j.

[Sami Khalil]

All true and well said. You are welcome sir Jacob.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

You are always so supportive....thanks for the encouragement, Sami.

[Sami Khalil]

My pleasure. You are welcome sir.

[red93]

Excellent JE-C. You may like to know that a Friend I directed in a Production of Brecht at Oxford in the Late 70s went on to be a BBC Film Producer - amongst her Credits is the 2003 Film 'Sylvia' with Gwyneth Paltrow and Daniel Craig in the Lead Roles.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

That is such a good movie, and Gwyneth did a great job of capturing Plath's spirit...that is very cool, red.
thank you for sharing that.
j.

[red93]

I'm glad you've seen it JE-C. ✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

[Gee]

Morning Jacob. Knowing of your admiration for Plath I could imagine you sitting a wee bit awestruck as this played out, like a young boy meeting his sporting hero.
Hope you have been keeping well :))

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, well...and you?

thank you for your response, Gee.

j.

[Gee]

Hi Jacob, getting there:)
Have struggled a bit with the after effects of Covid but the worst is now behind me, hopefully:))