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Ariel, the Restored Edition, is the first poetry collection of Sylvia Plath I have read. I read her unabridged journals and her classic novel The Bell Jar, but besides what poems were in her journals, I have never read her poetry before. The poetry in Ariel is raw, intense, and vivid. Each poem shows its unique life, death, motherhood, or the dark sides that only Plath can make verses about. Her imagery is haunting and beautiful. You feel how she poured her soul into each line and each word. The poetry of Plath is utterly brilliant in its use of simple metaphors to convey complex ideas about death, hatred, and love.

My favorite poems in the collection were Lady Lazarus, Daddy, The Swarm, and of course, Ariel. Each shows the variety of themes and interests within Plath's industry, from the themes of death and rebirth in Lady Lazarus to Daddy's exploration of a woman trying to reconcile her image of her father with his past. With its eerily metaphors and, I almost want to say, abstract imagery, Plath takes us into her world of poetry, taking to the darkest corners of the human psyche. The Restored Edition sends you on a labyrinth that challenges and asks questions you may never asked yourself before.

Many say the poetry within Ariel was deeply personal to Sylvia Plath; most of the poems were written during the most tumultuous time in her life. I find this adds some context to the more intense poems and adds depth to poems like Lesbos, which is about a couple Plath lived near. One should still read her poetry without delving too much into Plath's personal life. We will never fully understand why every poem was written and what they were specifically. Nor should we focus too much on the emotional aspects of her poetry. As with any art and artist, I believe a degree of separation is required. But overall, Ariel the Restored Edition is a masterful collection of one of the greatest poets of the 20th century, and I can’t wait to read more of Plath’s writing.