Tag Archives: Lilacs

The Mystery of Oppen

This week I must say I was particularly fascinated with the simultaneously revealing and befuddling poems of George Oppen.  Oppen was the poster-child of what came to be known as the “Objectivist” school of poetry, which has been categorized by a lack of … Continue reading

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Neruda and Whitman and Forgetting

James’s recent and incisive post offers a brilliant reading of the many arguably un-Whitmanian energies in Neruda’s love poem #20. More generally, he voices a healthy dose of skepticism concerning the degree to which we might think of Neruda or any … Continue reading

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And where are the lilacs?

Whitman’s lilacs are one of the most enduring poetic symbols of the modern age; lilacs in a poem are never just lilacs. Traditionally, lilacs signal the coming of Spring as one of the earliest blooming flowers and represent youthful innocence … Continue reading

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