"To the person in the bell jar, blank and stopped as a dead baby, the world itself is the bad dream."

The other book that I read during winter break was The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. It was simply incredible.

This highly autobiographical novel tells the story of Esther, her internship in NYC and her downward mental spiral that follows. The text's language is flawless. Its sharp honesty details the main character's emotional turmoil and is simply an invigorating read. Plath's writing causes you to feel as if you are stuck under the bell jar along with both Esther and Sylvia- as if their depression is yours. This book reaches almost too far into your mind, connects you almost too closely with Esther's depression. It is disturbing. This chaos of the mind is so realistic, so reachable, which makes it such an irresistible novel.

This book should be read by everyone. It portrays a fearless view of mental illness. It is the bell jar. Read Sylvia Plath's poetry as well: "Daddy," "Lady Lazarus," "Ariel," "The Applicant," etc. Also, her journals are held in the archives of Smith College, which I plan to visit this summer.

"I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my heart:  I am, I am, I am."

Let's start a Revolution

Hellooooo summer. I can finally catch up on my book reviews and my reading. Let's start with winter break...

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly. The author of A Northern Light, which is another great read. Revolution paralells the life of Andi Alphers, a depressed teen whisked to Paris by her sometimes absent father, along with Alexandrine Paradis, a young woman trapped in the chaos of the French Revolution. Their lives, decades apart, meld together in this juxtaposition of teen drama and historical fiction, with a splash of understandable time travel thrown in. Music threads these two girls' lives together as well as creates a platform on which the novel escalates. Donnelly's knowledge of French history and music of the past makes this book an even more exhilarating read.

This was one of the better books that I read in 2010. In a whirlwind of vampires and demons in the YA section lately, it was truly refreshing to visit the French Revolution for a while. This is a story of grief, self-discovery, redemption, and martyrdom that shines.

False alarm! A week ago, I was completely confident that I would have this endless amount of time to lounge around, read, and blog. And here we are, one day from the end of Spring Break, elbow deep in a poetry essay, trying to decide what the heck Yeats was trying to say. I feel like I have been doing homework all break, but it's still not done! So so sorry, but book reviews are going to have to wait till May.

Read Dickinson's "I felt a Funeral, in my brain" and Yeats' "Sailing to Byzantium." That's what I'm doing at the moment :)

I am on SPRING BREAK!


I just want to apologize for my lack of posting. School has been crazy, and I moved on campus this semester, which left me with even less time. Quick update of my life:

• I'm a Junior now, still majoring in English and Education.
• I'm student teaching next spring in Agawam (and I'm terrified).
• I would prefer to go to English and Art classes instead of anything Education.
• I work as a tutor and in the Elms library.
• I was just hired as the Looks on Campus editor on College Fashion!
• I live in the wellness building on campus, which is right next to the gym.
• My roommate (Kaylee) and I work out twice a day, and our Elms Across America team is "in" Ohio. We are in second place in our age group! I elliptical five miles a day. 
• Zumba is the most exciting form of exercise. I love it.
• I have to apply for Grad school next year and I have no idea what I want to do (in the realm of English).
• A boy gave me flowers last week :) They are yellow.
• Crohn's has not disrupted my life since the fall (knock on wood). I feel incredible and alive. I can eat salad again.
• I applied for the Crohn's and Colitis scholarship.
• Clubs at school: Commuter Council just had an Acoustic Cafe and people actually came; Future Teachers is having an MTEL prep session after break and we are selling edu bags; Bloom, Elms College Literary Magazine is coming out in April and two of my poems were accepted.

So that's about it. I will be posting book reviews and poems this week! So check back, and have an amazing weekend :)

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Burnish the petal and stare sharply

towards the bookstacks.

Languish starry clothespins.

Storm lavish trombones

with clawed villages.

Clone oysters in the park.

Steal a juxtaposition.

It is role playing your iguana

with sweetened scales.

Spool pigeons in a basket on my lap.

                                                                          The top hat glances in my direction.
                                          India, croquet my whisper.

The motif is a soccer coach.

He fringes brandy glasses

with Pacific spoons,

but he cannot spark me,

as I chat with a quiche

over threaded shackles.

They are flower spinners

on a pottery wheel, easing

graphite towards my hand.

I explode nail polish on your coffee table.

                                                                        A purple stereotype

                                                             breathes Artemis,

surely enough to ignite

the parlor’s breath.

It breathes grimy

clothespins that cling

to my shoulder.

                                       You hand-craft the moon.

                                                                            Starlight, spoon towards me.

                                                                                              Flock my voices.