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aceface's review
4.0
I can remember reading Lowell for the first time in a poetry class and the last stanza of 'For the Union Dead' felt almost taunting in its apparent ease and mastery of language. After reading his collected poems, I do find it funny that the first I read of him was his 'free verse'.
I definitely have no regrets whatsoever for delving into this book, even if it did take months to get through it. When Lowell is working for me, he hits the spot like very few poets I've read. The unfortunate thing is that there were moments (some quite extended) where he wasn't working for me. I don't think that's a poor reflection of the poetry, but rather of myself. If I wanted to, I could reel off a long list of obstacles between me and the poetry - like the fact I'm British, not American - but they all come down to the fact that there is much more in life that I need to learn and experience. I exist in a different context to Lowell, but that context is not totally cut off from me. Each time a line resonates with me or an image sticks in my mind, this disconnection is broken down a little bit more.
So I would definitely recommend this definitive collection of Lowell's poetry. The introduction and appendices are helpful and insightful. This is definitely something I'll be coming back to and I hope to grow with it.
I definitely have no regrets whatsoever for delving into this book, even if it did take months to get through it. When Lowell is working for me, he hits the spot like very few poets I've read. The unfortunate thing is that there were moments (some quite extended) where he wasn't working for me. I don't think that's a poor reflection of the poetry, but rather of myself. If I wanted to, I could reel off a long list of obstacles between me and the poetry - like the fact I'm British, not American - but they all come down to the fact that there is much more in life that I need to learn and experience. I exist in a different context to Lowell, but that context is not totally cut off from me. Each time a line resonates with me or an image sticks in my mind, this disconnection is broken down a little bit more.
So I would definitely recommend this definitive collection of Lowell's poetry. The introduction and appendices are helpful and insightful. This is definitely something I'll be coming back to and I hope to grow with it.
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