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A review by mlindner
Complete Poems of Marianne Moore by Marianne Moore
3.0
I feel very stupid in regards to this book.
Moore uses, in her own words, a "hybrid method of composition" (262). She uses lots of (unattributed) quotes; takes a sort of sidelong glance at things, be they animals, objects, people or events; refers a lot to animals, especially more exotic ones; and breaks lines somewhat oddly for emphasis and play; amongst other issues.
I got about 90% of the way through this--constantly wondering who was being quoted or what was being alluded to--before I realized that there are notes to the poems in the back; approx. 255 pages of poetry and 35 pages of notes. While they certainly leave a lot unexplained, they do help. But what I truly feel stupid about--not the not expecting there to be notes on the poems, as how often does that happen?--but that a few months before I began this I came across a citation to this book regarding a child's drawing that had influenced one of the poems. I got up, found the book on the shelf, found the image and poem cited in the book and read it, told myself I ought read this soon, and went back to the book with the reference to it that I was reading. The thing is, the drawing is in the notes section! I guess I forgot. ::sigh::
Anyway, not sure what I think of Moore's poetry. There is so much here. Aspects of it certainly spoke to me, but very few of the poems in their entirety did. A few days ago I was thinking I would weed this once I finished it but now I think I'll hold on to it for now and perhaps re-read it in a year or two and make better use of the notes.
Moore uses, in her own words, a "hybrid method of composition" (262). She uses lots of (unattributed) quotes; takes a sort of sidelong glance at things, be they animals, objects, people or events; refers a lot to animals, especially more exotic ones; and breaks lines somewhat oddly for emphasis and play; amongst other issues.
I got about 90% of the way through this--constantly wondering who was being quoted or what was being alluded to--before I realized that there are notes to the poems in the back; approx. 255 pages of poetry and 35 pages of notes. While they certainly leave a lot unexplained, they do help. But what I truly feel stupid about--not the not expecting there to be notes on the poems, as how often does that happen?--but that a few months before I began this I came across a citation to this book regarding a child's drawing that had influenced one of the poems. I got up, found the book on the shelf, found the image and poem cited in the book and read it, told myself I ought read this soon, and went back to the book with the reference to it that I was reading. The thing is, the drawing is in the notes section! I guess I forgot. ::sigh::
Anyway, not sure what I think of Moore's poetry. There is so much here. Aspects of it certainly spoke to me, but very few of the poems in their entirety did. A few days ago I was thinking I would weed this once I finished it but now I think I'll hold on to it for now and perhaps re-read it in a year or two and make better use of the notes.