POETRY THAT KILLS AND HEALS RESEARCH ON CONFESSIONAL

POETRY THAT KILLS AND HEALS: RESEARCH ON CONFESSIONAL POETS Megan Reily CHHS 125 Writing as Healing Psychology

PERSONAL CONNECTION • I have always been interested in the healing powers of poetry since I started using it to vent or share difficult feelings. • I was curious how my favorite poets used their poetry to heal themselves. • I wanted to learn more about the connection of depression and writing poetry.

THESIS Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton could not find a way to heal by writing confessional poetry because they focused too much on the individual self; although, it is still possible to heal through writing poetry if it is written for the good of the whole, like the poetry of Maya Angelou.

CONFESSIONAL POETRY • Harshly criticized because of high number of suicides. • Poets used it to try to heal. • Free all pain and intimate details of life. Air out dirty laundry. • Connected with self-absorption and narcissism. • Individualistic nature and wording.

PLATH AND SEXTON • Traumatic life • Became obsessed with death • Wrote for themselves • Both committed suicide early in their lives • Wrote about their own pain • Individualistic writing made them more trapped in their minds.

ANGELOU • Grew up oppressed • Joined Civil Rights Movement • Wrote for the people • Understood the need for revolution and rights • Wrote for the good of the community as a whole • Her poetry healed her

HOW TO WRITE POETRY • Readers need something to gain • Discover something about their own humanity • Do not retraumatize • Control emotions on the page • Do not glamorize dangerous lifestyles • Write for the good of the whole • Work towards solving an issue

COMMUNITY CONNECTION • Anyone who is interested in poetry • Poets who want to know about healing • What not to do • Who to read to find influence

REFERENCES • • Degout, Yasmin. (2009). “The Poetry of Maya Angelou: Liberation Ideology and Technique. ” Maya Angelou. Bloom, Harold. New York: Infobase Publishing, Desalvo, L. (1999), Writing as a Way of Healing, Boston, MA: Beacon Press Hall, C. (1989). Anne Sexton. Boston: Twayne Publishers. Holbrook, D. (1988). Sylvia Plath : Poetry and Existence. London: Athlone Press Pennebaker, J. Wiltsey, S. (2001). “Word use in Poetry of Suicidal and Nonsuicidal Poets. ” Psychosomatic Medicine July/August 2001 vol. 63 no. 4 517 -522 Images: http: //www. nndb. com/people/603/000099306/ (Slide 4) http: //www. brainpickings. org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/plath. jpg (Slide 4) http: //www. biography. com/imported/images/Biography/Images/Profiles/A/May a-Angelou-9185388 -2 -402. jpg (Slide 5)

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