The Life of Poetry [Paperback]

Muriel Rukeyser (Author), Jane Cooper (Foreword)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0963818333 | ISBN-13: 978-0963818331 | Publication Date: September 1, 1996

Observing that poetry is a natural part of our pastimes and rituals, Muriel Rukeyser opposes elitist attitudes and confronts Americans' fear of feeling. Multicultural and interdisciplinary, this collection of essays and speeches makes an irrefutable case for the centrality of poetry in American life.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In an era in which art is increasingly dictated by marketers, and publishers and filmmakers don't seem to make a move without first consulting focus groups, poetry might seem, at first, a bit superfluous. It's "difficult," for one thing, subject to many interpretations; it's also deeply personal, unsuited to creation by committee. So what possible use does the modern world have for poetry? Muriel Rukeyser answers this question in The Life of Poetry, a book that just keeps coming back in time for each new generation. First published in 1949, it was reissued in 1974 and returns to print again in 1997, courtesy of Paris Press. Rukeyser's presents many definitions of poetry: it is an exchange of energy, a record of the emotional meaning of every moment, a concentration of universal joys and sorrows. It is a thing "in which we may live and which will save us."

Rukeyser, herself a poet, was a woman who understood that poetry alone was not enough to save the world. An activist on behalf of West Virginia coal miners and later censored South Korean writers, Rukeyser had an intimate understanding of the place principle and action occupy in saving the world. But the world needs a soul as well as a mind and a will, and for Rukeyser, poetry fills that role. The Life of Poetry is about poetry, but within that realm fall subjects as varied as musicals; war; and the works of Whitman, Dickinson, and Lorca, among others. Rukeyser died in 1980, but her fierce intelligence and great heart live on in this marvelous meditation on the universal applications of poetry.

About the Author

Muriel Rukeyser (1913-1980) is one of our country's most influential yet neglected writers. She published fifteen collections of poetry, plays, translations, children's books, and several works of nonfiction. Her "toys of fame" include the Yale Younger Poets Award, the Copernicus Award from the Academy of Arts and Letters, and the Shelley Memorial Award. From 1975-1976, she served as president of P.E.N. American Center.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Paris Press (September 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963818333
• ISBN-13: 978-0963818331
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #333,389 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read for poets, authors, and fans of the arts!, August 25, 1998

By A Customer

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This review is from: The Life of Poetry (Paperback)

Ever wonder why people actively loathe poetry?

Ever wonder why you should continue writing/painting/acting/reading?

Rukeyser's book moves well beyond the range of traditional literary theory, incorporating philosophy, social theory, and science to present a world view unlike any I had ever encountered before.

4.0 out of 5 stars deceptively accessible, December 3, 2011

By 

Tammy Atha - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Life of Poetry (Paperback)

The work of Muriel Rukeyser is far under-read. This book is deceptively accessible and is a beautiful testament that shows the vastness of Rukeyser's love for poetry. A good read but not for those unwilling to work with her logic.