Lament

Sylvia Plath

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The sting of bees took away my father
who walked in a swarming shroud of wings
and scorned the tick of the falling weather.

Lightning licked in a yellow lather
but missed the mark with snaking fangs:
the sting of bees too away my father.

Trouncing the sea like a ragin bather,
he rode the flood in a pride of prongs
and scorned the tick of the falling weather.

A scowl of sun struck down my mother,
tolling her grave with golden gongs,
but the sting of bees took away my father.

He counted the guns of god a bother,
laughed at the ambush of angels' tongues,
and scorned the tick of the falling weather.

O ransack the four winds and find another
man who can mangle the grin of kings:
the sting of bees took away my father
who scorned the tick of the falling weather.

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Comments2
  • Dreams15

    Just came across this poem and I must say, it's quite remarkable. The imagery and metaphors are very powerful, evoking a lot of emotions in just a few stanzas. The blend of themes like nature, loss, life, and defiance creates an interesting contrast and adds depth to the overall experience. It's definitely left an impact on me and I'll be thinking about it for a while.

    • Aarya

      Wow...this poem hits hard! I mean, "he rode the flood in a pride of prongs" - that just shakes you up. And the repeating lines, they're like a punch to the gut. Nature vesus humans, really thought-provoking. Love the raw emotion here, really gets you thinking.