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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
Revisiting some of my favorite poems, still glimmering and perfect. Some of these were not in my old paperback so it was nice to have a more complete collection. This edition, however, had at least one typo where the word “charity” becomes “chantry”, souring the line. So maybe grab a different one. (And the whole last 20% is ads). Such is the fate of the public domain. Still great stuff, the muck of the heart.
Stephen Crane is a strange poet. He is not, by many technical measures, great. Some might even argue he's not very good. I think he has a wonderful voice. His poems are quite personal, thought-provoking, aphoristic in quality, and will keep you thinking about God, human nature, war, sin, and redemption (well, less redemption and more sin and war). He has a really keen sense for turn of phrase that stays with you and drives his themes home. For instance, his poem "In the Desert" reads:
In the desert
I saw a creature, naked, bestial,
Who, squatting upon the ground,
Held his heart in his hands,
And ate of it.
I said, "Is it good, friend?"
"It is bitter--bitter," he answered;
"But I like it
Because it is bitter,
And because it is my heart."
You can see how he pulls no punches through usual poetic devices. He finds his ambiguity in content. I gave my copy to a student who really loved literature. I need to find a new one.
In the desert
I saw a creature, naked, bestial,
Who, squatting upon the ground,
Held his heart in his hands,
And ate of it.
I said, "Is it good, friend?"
"It is bitter--bitter," he answered;
"But I like it
Because it is bitter,
And because it is my heart."
You can see how he pulls no punches through usual poetic devices. He finds his ambiguity in content. I gave my copy to a student who really loved literature. I need to find a new one.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Stephen Crane's poems follow a pattern. The opening is sweeping and expansive, giving you gorgeous writing for about ten lines while you marvel at your native language. And then Stephen Crane says, "NOPE, FUCK YOU" and slams the ending of the poem on your head. In the best way. So five stars, because the pattern fucking WORKS.
...Maybe I'm not selling it very well. If you're curious, you can try, "A Man Said to the Universe." Five lines of genius.
...Maybe I'm not selling it very well. If you're curious, you can try, "A Man Said to the Universe." Five lines of genius.
Contains my favorite poem ever - In the Desert - and the rest of his work made me think critically about things I never thought to think critically about. One sad dude. Love him.