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Poets in Boston: From Robert Frost to Robert Lowell to Sylvia Plath

Emmett Mitchell

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Published in The Fading Smile: Poets In Boston From Robert Frost To Robert Lowell To Sylvia Plath

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Boston has been a hub for poets throughout history. From the early days of the American colonies, when Anne Bradstreet wrote her poems about life in the New World, to the present day, when poets such as A.E. Stallings and Tracy K. Smith continue to call Boston home, the city has been a place where poets have come to live, work, and create.

Three of the most famous poets who have lived in Boston are Robert Frost, Robert Lowell, and Sylvia Plath. These three poets, who all wrote in the 20th century, were very different in their styles and subject matter, but they all shared a deep love for Boston. In this article, we will explore the lives and work of these three poets, and how Boston shaped their writing.

The Fading Smile: Poets in Boston, from Robert Frost to Robert Lowell to Sylvia Plath,

by Peter Davison

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
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Robert Frost

Robert Frost was born in San Francisco in 1874, but he moved to Boston with his family when he was a young child. He attended Harvard University, and after graduating, he worked as a teacher and a farmer. In 1915, he published his first book of poems, A Boy's Will, which was followed by several other successful collections, including North of Boston (1915),Mountain Interval (1916),and New Hampshire (1923).

Frost's poems are often about the natural world, and they often explore the themes of isolation, loss, and redemption. He is known for his use of simple language and his ability to capture the beauty of everyday life. In his poem "Birches," for example, he writes:

When I see birches bend to left and right Across the lines of straighter darker trees, I like to think some boy's been swinging them.

Frost's poems have been praised for their beauty, their wisdom, and their honesty. He is considered one of the most important American poets of the 20th century, and his work continues to be read and studied today.

Robert Lowell

Robert Lowell was born in Boston in 1917. He attended Harvard University, and after graduating, he worked as a teacher and a poet. He published his first book of poems, Lord Weary's Castle, in 1946. This book was followed by several other successful collections, including Life Studies (1959),For the Union Dead (1964),and The Dolphin (1973).

Lowell's poems are often about his personal life, and they often explore the themes of guilt, loss, and redemption. He is known for his use of confessional poetry, and his poems are often very raw and emotional. In his poem "My Last Afternoon with Uncle Devereux Winslow," for example, he writes:

I can't remember if I cried When I was told you died, but I Have been crying since.

Lowell's poems have been praised for their honesty, their power, and their beauty. He is considered one of the most important American poets of the 20th century, and his work continues to be read and studied today.

Sylvia Plath

Sylvia Plath was born in Boston in 1932. She attended Smith College, and after graduating, she worked as a poet and a journalist. She published her first book of poems, The Colossus, in 1960. This book was followed by her most famous collection, Ariel, which was published posthumously in 1965.

Plath's poems are often about her personal life, and they often explore the themes of love, loss, and death. She is known for her use of dark imagery and her ability to express the pain and suffering of the human condition. In her poem "Daddy," for example, she writes:

You do not do, you do not do Any more, black shoe In which I have lived like a foot For thirty years, poor and white, Barely daring to breathe or Achoo.

Plath's poems have been praised for their power, their beauty, and their honesty. She is considered one of the most important American poets of the 20th century, and her work continues to be read and studied today.

Robert Frost, Robert Lowell, and Sylvia Plath are just three of the many poets who have called Boston home. These three poets, who all wrote in the 20th century, were very different in their styles and subject matter, but they all shared a deep love for Boston. The city's rich literary history, its vibrant cultural scene, and its beautiful natural surroundings have all been a source of inspiration for poets for centuries.

The Fading Smile: Poets in Boston, from Robert Frost to Robert Lowell to Sylvia Plath,

by Peter Davison

5 out of 5