Draft of Shadows and Other Poems [Paperback]

Octavio Paz (Author), Eliot Weinberger (Translator)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Along Galeana Street [por La Calle De Galeana]
Axis [eje]
Between Leaving And Staying
Black And White Stone [piedra Blanca Y Negra]
Concert In The Garden (vina And Mridangam)
Concord [concorde]
Daybreak
Distant Neighbor [projimo Lejano]
A Draft Of Shadows [pasado En Claro]
The Effects Of Baptism [efectos Del Bautismo]
Epitaph For No Stone [epitafio Sobre Ninguna Piedra]
The Everyday Fire
Exclamation [el Exclamacion]
Flame, Speech
Golden Lotuses: 3
The Grove
Himachal Pradesh: 1
Homage To Claudius Ptolemy
Immemorial Landscape [paisaje Inmemorial]
In Defense Of Pyrrho
In The Lodi Gardens [en Los Jardines De Los Lodi]
In The Middle Of This Phrase [a La Mitad De Esta Frase]
January First [primero De Enero]
The Key Of Water [la Llave De Agua]
Madrigal
Nightfall [un Anochecer]
Objects & Apparitions [objetos Y Apariciones]
The Other [el Otro]
Preparatory Exercise [ejercicio Preparatorio]
Release [solutra]
Return (for Jose Alvarado)
San Ildefonso Nocturne [nocturno De San Idlefonso]
Sight, Touch
'the Skin Of The World, The Sound Of The World'
Small Variation [pequena Variacion]
Stars And Cricket
Sunday On The Island Of Elephanta
Sunyata
A Tale Of Two Gardens [cuento De Dos Jardins]
Then Petrifying Petrified [petrificada Petrificante]
This Side [este Lado]
Trowbridge Street
Waking [un Despertar]
Wind And Water And Stone
With Eyes Closed [con Los Ojos Cerrados]
Writing [escritura]
-- Table of Poems from Poem Finder®

Product Details

• Paperback: 1 pages
• Publisher: New Directions Publishing Corporation (December 1979)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811207382
• ISBN-13: 978-0811207386
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,162,967 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely brilliant., November 24, 2002

By 

Robert P. Beveridge "xterminal" (Lakewood, OH) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Draft of Shadows and Other Poems (Paperback)

Octavio Paz, A Draft of Shadows (New Directions, 1979)

I am kicking myself for having had this book in my collection for long enough that I dont remember buying it and not getting around to it until now. Paz is the most exciting poet Ive run across since discovering the work of Ira Sadoff five years ago. His work, more than capably translated here by Eliot Weinberger (with a few translations from others thrown in for good measure), is a perfect blend of the art and craft of poetry. It is also the finest overtly political work I have read since Aime Cesaire last put pen to paper. Paz understands that if the poetry is good enough, the message of the poetry will come out on its own, something nine hundred ninety-nine out of every thousand political poets never grasp. Those who would dispute it need only read the title poem here and hold it up against the best works by inferior political poets. The difference is stunning, and obvious.

When Paz won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1990, the committee stated that his writing was characterized by sensuous intelligence and humanistic integrity. Indeed. This is poetry the way its meant to be. **** 1/2

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books of Spanish poetry, October 4, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Draft of Shadows and Other Poems (Paperback)

Excelent translation. Like "Eagle or Sun", "A Draft or Shadows" is the best Paz's poetry. Without doubt, some of the best poems I have ever read. East and West, Water and Stone, White and Black... encounter each other... on the other side.