My Writing Poetry By Sylvia Plath - 1106 Words

My words were alive. They spilled out from my mouth and enveloped the crowded room. Waves of metaphors and stanzas washed over and between the audience, whose heads jutted out over the backs of their blackwood table chairs like coral. As I spoke, I felt that I was no longer myself, but something bolder, fearless and fiercely honest. A vessel possessed by the words I had spent months poring over. Spoken word poetry gave me the courage to express myself. Growing up, I had always been shy and awkward. In school, I would rather spend my time daydreaming than talking to classmates. When I was forced to socialize, whether it be by teachers or my parents, it was usually met with stammering, sweat and downturned eyes. As a result, I had trouble†¦show more content†¦I was ecstatic; someone actually thought my writing was good! I kept emailing her poetry, and, with her encouragement, signed up for a teen spoken word competition. I had only a month to practice before the qualifying bout, and I had never read any of my poems aloud. Needless to say, I was panicked. I spent hours reciting poetry to my hardwood bedroom door. Each word stuck in my throat like syrup and took too much effort to spit out. By the time I had finished reciting one stanza, long lines of sweat were slipping down my forehead and over my lips. My mouth was a desert, occasionally battered with drops of musky saltwater. I took breaks in between stanzas to catch my breath and wipe the sweat off my face. During these tumultuous practice sessions, I began to regret agreeing to sign up for the competition. Regardless of my worries, the day of the qualifying bout eventually came. The bout took place in the backroom of a cafe. It was a small space, and people crowded the square mahogany tables scattered throughout the brightly lit room. An odd combination of coffee, pizza and alcohol mingled in the air, and a five-foot long stage covered in oriental carpeting was situated in the front of the room. After registering, I made my way to an area near the stage reserved for competitors. Some of the competitors were engaged in conversations with each other, while others recited their poems under their breaths. I spent my time glaring at the poemsShow MoreRelatedSylvia Plath: The Exemplary Confessional Poet1015 Words   |  5 Pagesconfessional poetry was essentially an autobiographical style of writing. Often focusing on topics that were taboo at the time like mental illness and suicide, it is no surprise that Sylvia Plath wrote poetry in this style. Plath suffered from depression most of her life and used writing as an outlet (Spinello). In her works â€Å"Cut,† â€Å"I Am Vertical,† and â€Å"Lady Lazarus,† Plath exemplifies confessional poetry through the themes of resentment, death, and mental illness. 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