After the Death of Poetry: Poet and Audience in Contemporary America: Poet and Audience in Contemporary America

From Library Journal
Shetley offers an explanation for the demise of poetry and proposes a new direction to restore this lost art to its central place in our intellectual and cultural life. Shetley (English, Wellesley) is a prolific reviewer for Poet magazine; his familiarity with contemporary poetry is formidable. But clearly his concern is not with poetry of the popular culture. He seeks to reestablish both the writing of poetry and its reading as a difficult skill, dependent not only on the technique or craft of poem-making but also on the careful selection of subject. As examples he examines the poetry of Elizabeth Bishop, James Merrill, and John Ashbery. Shetley develops a careful argument, but his style is laborious and repetitious. When writing about actual poems, however, he offers lucid explications that serve as exemplary models of literary criticism. Not everyone will agree with Shetley, but his voice deserves a hearing.- Denise Sticha, Carnegie Lib., PittsburghCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Buy from Amazon     Compare Prices

Shetley offers an explanation for the demise of poetry and proposes a new direction to restore this lost art to its central place in our intellectual and cultural life. Shetley (English, Wellesley) is a prolific reviewer for Poet magazine; his familiarity with contemporary poetry is formidable. But clearly his concern is not with poetry of the popular culture. He seeks to reestablish both the writing of poetry and its reading as a difficult skill, dependent not only on the technique or craft of poem-making but also on the careful selection of subject. As examples he examines the poetry of Elizabeth Bishop, James Merrill, and John Ashbery. Shetley develops a careful argument, but his style is laborious and repetitious. When writing about actual poems, however, he offers lucid explications that serve as exemplary models of literary criticism. Not everyone will agree with Shetley, but his voice deserves a hearing.-- Denise Sticha, Carnegie Lib., Pittsburgh


Buy from Barnes & Noble     Compare Prices