Darkness is a white misty world
where light is not absent
yet you can’t sight him-
his frozen words no more breathe-
darkness is angst and despair-
darkness is disheveled hair,
the loosening of the tight bun
to be hung to the waist-
darkness is dried up milk in breast-
darkness is insomnia,
a million spark
to be surged on paper-
darkness is a flair,
a fire,
a burnt soul-
darkness is a dead love,
a forever sleep
in a kitchen gas oven-
to be resurrected in luminous words-
(Whatever I have written here had happened to Sylvia Plath, one of my favorite poets)
Posted for my prompt ~ Darkness Is….. @ Poets United Midweek Motif
sumanar/lekha 
Beautifully done… I love that darkness is NOT the absence of light…just what we cannot see. Too good!
Sylvia Plath is a favourite of mine as well .I have read just about everything written about her, Ted Hughes and all of his wives. Did you know you cannot kill yourself in a gas oven anymore. It is a different type of gas in use now, so people cannot use the oven as a suicide agent. Sylvia’s son committed suicide not so long ago. A tragic darkness seems to have shrouded the whole family. This was well expressed in your poem.
I have been obsessed with this super talented poet recently. Yeah, I know, Sylvia’s son was a scientist and committed suicide out of depression. And I don’t like Ted Hughes as a person. He was irresponsible & may be a bit jealous?
“a million spark
to be surged on paper-
darkness is a flair,
a fire,
a burnt soul-”
Perhaps it is true that depression and terror makes good poetry, but I so wanted to know the Sylvia full of joy, aware of her public, her gifts. Letters to her Mother helped me some, especially as a stage play.. Your poem captures the contradictions in the amazing idea of the suffering poet.
My goodness this is absolutely phenomenal work, Sumana! ❤️ I love “darkness is a flair, a fire, a burnt soul- darkness is a dead love, a forever sleep in a kitchen gas oven- to be resurrected in luminous words-” Woww!! 🙂
A burnt soul and a dead love. Poor Sylvia, who wanted to be loved, as we all do. But i think of her children, waking next morning, and how they went on, from that.
Wow, you really went dark. Darkness is all these things. Well written.
Beautiful Love it. Love your great description of darness My favourites “a million spark
to be surged on paper-darkness is a flair, a fire, a burnt soul and than that last one “a forever sleep
in a kitchen gas oven-to be resurrected in luminous words”
Interesting surprises fitted into this Via Negativa Sumana
Much💟love
I don’t know why it hurts when we read about Sylvia and the reasons for her suicide. I suppose it is because she could have given us so much more if it hadn’t been for the hurt she felt about her life and her love. Sadly sometimes we cannot be as strong as we like to be.
I love the oxymoron in the opening lines, Sumana, which really stands out for me. I also like the hard consonant sounds and alliteration in:
‘darkness is angst and despair-
darkness is disheveled hair’
and the dark ending with Sylvia’s kitchen gas oven and how the final lines light up with the resurrection in luminous words. You have channeled her spirit well.
Darkness can be everything. So true. It’s all about perspective, about how the darkness makes one feel, how it affects one life… The same is true of light.
I felt ridiculously smug because I was thinking Plath before reading the note–I’m a dork. 😀
I was thinking of Sylvia Plath as well. You alway wonder if . . .
Love this, Sumana!