Sylvia Plath was an American poet and author. Born in 1932 in Boston, Massachusetts, she was known for her gorgeous, visceral confessional poetry and prose that dealt with topics ranging from gender inequality to the anxieties surrounding death. After battling mental illness for most of her life, Plath died by suicide in 1963. Her brilliance lives on in her writing, which remains poignant and relevant.

1. “I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart. I am, I am, I am.” – Sylvia Plath

2. “I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery—air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, ‘This is what it is to be happy.’” – Sylvia Plath

3. “If neurotic is wanting two mutually exclusive things at one and the same time, then I'm neurotic as hell. I'll be flying back and forth between one mutually exclusive thing and another for the rest of my days.” – Sylvia Plath

4. “The trouble was, I had been inadequate all along, I simply hadn't thought about it.” – Sylvia Plath