he poet at the beginning of her process. Here’s the word…
The first poem revealed, “To a Refractory Santa Claus,” is about Spain and “consists of two 11-line verses and pleads for escape from the cruelties of an English winter to the fresh fruit and sunshine of warmer climes,” according to The Guardian. The next poem, “Megrims,” is a monologue addressed to a doctor by a narrator experiencing “irregular incidents.”
The scholars agree that the works are inferior to her more developed later work (and who among us poets doesn’t cringe on Plath’s behalf when we consider anyone finding our first drafts and early work after we are gone?), but they said the poems show traces of her future voice, especially the style of her most famous collection, Ariel.
The poems were recovered from an old piece of carbon paper. Click through the link above to track ‘em down for yourself. Never forget that poetry is meant to be listened to. It’s ultimately not for “readers”. Poetry is a sonic phenomenon, and that’s why it’s forever connected with music, and why wrongheaded folks will tell you that lyrics and poems are the same thing. Here’s a clue: they’re not. Or maybe they are — these are lightheaded spaces where ideas and analysis give way to groove, and beat, and the visionary. Plath was a visionary, but hearing is believing. Here’s a Plath playlist by one of the greatest poets America can claim…
