“Poppies in JulyLittle poppies, little hell flames,Do you do no harm?You flicker. I cannot touch you.I put my hands among the flames. Nothing burns.And it exhausts me to watch youFlickering like that, wrinkly and clear red, like the skin of a mouth.A mouth just bloodied.Little bloody skirts!There are fumes that I cannot touch.Where are your opiates, your nauseous capsules?If I could bleed, or sleep!If my mouth could marry a hurt like that!Or your liquors seep to me, in this glass capsule,Dulling and stilling.But colorless. Colorless.”

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Originally said in English.

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About Sylvia Plath

American poet and novelist of the mid-20th century, Sylvia Plath is best known for her confessional poetry and novels that explore themes of identity, depression, and the female experience. Her work, including *Ariel* and *The Bell Jar*, remains influential for its raw intensity and lyrical precision.

More from Sylvia Plath (248 quotes) →
"Poppies in JulyLittle poppies, little hell flames,Do you do no harm?Y…" — Sylvia Plath | Daily Quotes