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A review by donasbooks
Lunch Poems by Frank O'Hara
5.0
I read a softcover copy of LUNCH POEMS by Frank O'Hara.
Not too many people read poetry these days, so I will resist my urge to analyze the style of the poems I found in this slim volume. But I will say I interpret this collection as Frank's love letter to a city for whom he had very strong and mixed feelings. I'm talking of course about New York.
LUNCH POEMS will never stop amazing me. This reading, I am struck, completely bowled over by these lines from "Galanta": the about-to-be / dead surrounding the already surrounded folk- / hero with a veil of automobile accidents / p79
These lines are more than just achingly beautiful, they are apparently prescient. Frank O'Hara died a very young man, tragically, a victim of a hit and run. He had just begun to enjoy his well-deserved renown and reap the rewards of being an established twentieth century writer when he was killed.
O'Hara will always be one of my favorite poets. He is a tragic, romantic figure. His poetry finds what is both tragic and romantic in everything, and I love that. His poetry is easy to understand, while it is also wildly absurd and surrealistic. He is everyone's poet.
Rating:
Not too many people read poetry these days, so I will resist my urge to analyze the style of the poems I found in this slim volume. But I will say I interpret this collection as Frank's love letter to a city for whom he had very strong and mixed feelings. I'm talking of course about New York.
LUNCH POEMS will never stop amazing me. This reading, I am struck, completely bowled over by these lines from "Galanta": the about-to-be / dead surrounding the already surrounded folk- / hero with a veil of automobile accidents / p79
These lines are more than just achingly beautiful, they are apparently prescient. Frank O'Hara died a very young man, tragically, a victim of a hit and run. He had just begun to enjoy his well-deserved renown and reap the rewards of being an established twentieth century writer when he was killed.
O'Hara will always be one of my favorite poets. He is a tragic, romantic figure. His poetry finds what is both tragic and romantic in everything, and I love that. His poetry is easy to understand, while it is also wildly absurd and surrealistic. He is everyone's poet.
Rating: