Project 1

The two poems of Sylvia Plath that I aimed to mimic in style were “The Applicant” and also “The Munich Mannequins,” simply because I personally liked these two poems the most, and I wanted to incorporate some of the stylistic elements she has in these poems into my own. Some challenges I faced were that I almost felt a bit limited when trying to emulate the style of Plath, as many times I wanted to write one way but felt as if this would not resemble the style of Plath enough, which I managed by continuing to think and try to improve my thoughts. What I have learned from mimesis is that mimicking another writer’s style will do no good in my opinion, as no writing style is better than one’s own natural writing voice. I believe that while writers should look towards other writers for inspiration, mimesis is not the best answer.

The Student

Are you what we are looking for?

Do you have

No spine, No mind, No eyes,

No autonomy?

Is there a way we can control you?

No. No? How can we use you?

How can we manipulate you?

Here is what we want.

You’ll need an aluminum coating

To be protected from other ideas.

Get rid of your smile

You won’t need it here

You will have friends just like you.

Don’t you dare speak out

Think creatively

Or be unique.

You will be part of our world

Not part of your own.

If you do as we say

Then society will accept you

You are to have a role

To be productive

To be a machine in our cookie cutter world.

What’s wrong? You can’t do it?

Don’t worry

We will control you so that you will.

The forever wish

Immortality is hell

Living to watch all around you die

Knowing that nothing is significant

As you are always alive

The feeling of time goes away

As do all feelings of responsibility

As one drifts away

Into an eternal state of apathy.

Feelings go away

As one has experienced them

Over and over

And cannot escape

Immortality is a prison

Confined by the realm of time

Living forever with no way out

Life must have end

End is what gives life meaning

For with no end

One can never have resolve

An endless fight

Brings endless pain

Endless doors that will never be closed

To wish not to die

Is to wish not to live at all

Confined by and endless drift

Of having no feeling at all