Technicians of the Sacred: A Range of Poetries from Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania, Second edition, Revised and Expanded [Paperback]

Jerome Rothenberg (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 8, 1985

Since its first publication in 1968, Jerome Rothenberg's Technicians of the Sacred has educated a generation of poets, artists, and readers to the multiple faces and possibilities of poetry throughout the world. Hailed by Robert Creeley as "both a deeply useful work book and an unequivocal delight," and by the Los Angeles Times Book Review as one of the hundred most recommended American books of the last thirty-five years, it appears here in a revised and expanded version several years in the making. Rothenberg's revision follows the structure and themes of the original version while reworking the contents to include a European section and a large number of newly gathered and translated poems that reflect the work set in motion since 1968.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Security Zone by Vito Hannibal Acconci
Inatoipippiler, Sels. by Akkantilele
For The Lord Of Caves (1) by Allama Prabhu
Definitions For Mandy, Sels. by David Antin
Ka 'ba by Amiri Baraka
Going Out To Meet The Moon Whales by Paule Barton
Teton Sioux Song (1) by Bear Necklace
Teton Sioux Song (2) by Bear Necklace
Three Forest Events by Bengt Af Klintberg
Psalm 137 by Bible
Plaza Real With Palm Trees by Paul Blackburn
Europe A Prophecy by William Blake
Now I A Foursome Vision See by William Blake
Six Seri Whale Songs by Santo Blanco
A Song Of The Winds by Santo Blanco
Teton Sioux Song by Brave Buffalo
Shoot It, Pass It by Andre Breton
Raising The Meditating Center And The Field Of Evil by Eduardo Calderon
Krishna Went Out To Play by Candaka
Horse %for Pierre Loeb by Aime Cesaire
Ablutions 1972, Sels. by Judy Chicago
I Know A Man by Robert Creeley
A Poem For The Ascent Of Mount Carmel by San Juan De La Cruz
The String Game by Dia!kwain
Passages: 24, Sels. by Robert Duncan
An Air Baby by Russell Edson
Abuse Poem: 1 by Komi Ekpe
Abuse Poem: 2 by Komi Ekpe
A Loon %i Thought It Was by Mary English
A Song Of The Spider Goddess by Hiraga Etenoa
The Canticle For Brother Sun by Francis Of Assisi
The Song Wants To Be The Light by Federico Garcia Lorca
The Song Wants To Be The Light by Federico Garcia Lorca
Death Song by Gawitayac
Psalm 3 by Allen Ginsberg
The Mourning Song Of Small-lake-underneath by Hayi-a'ku
Theogony, Sels. by Hesiod
Altazor, Sels. by Vicente Huidobro
Raining by Alan Kaprow
Night Births by Keaulumoku
The Last Days Like This by Robert Kelly
Whenever I Pause by Kimiwun
In The Ranchhouse At Dawn by Kenneth Koch
Funeral Eva by Koroneau
The Red Book Of Hergest, Sels. by Llywarc'h Hen
First Light Poem: For Iris - 10 June 1962 by Jackson Maclow
Death Song by Juana Manwell
The Annunciation by Marpa
Ghost Tantra: 1 by Michael Thomas Mcclure
Ghost Tantra: 51 by Michael Thomas Mcclure
To Find Our Life by Ramon Medina Silva
In The Coming Heat by Memengwa
The Crow - Ehe'eye! %i Saw Him When He Flew Down by Moki
Mitchell's Death by Linda Montano
The Guide To Lord Murukan: The Shaman And The Red God by Nakkirar
The Odor Of Death by Namebines
Animal Story 10 by Williami Naura
My Children %when At First I Liked The Whites by Nawat
The Painted Book by Nezahualcoyotl
1. by Jacob Nibenegenesabe
Psalm by George Oppen
My Breath by Orpingalik
You Know, Coyote by Simon J. Ortiz
Song Of Meat, Madness And Travel by Rochelle Owens
The First Truck At Tambrey by Toby Wiliguru Pambardu
Coyote And Junco by Andrew Peynetsa
Kisses by Roger Carl Pfingston
Canto 1 by Ezra Pound
Papyrus by Ezra Pound
The Description Of King Lent by Francois Rabelais
Ol' Hannah by Doc Reese
Ode To My Socks by Naftali Ricardo Reyes Basuato
Child Of An Idumean Night by Jerome Rothenberg
A Poem In Yellow After Tristan Tzara by Jerome Rothenberg
Sightings: 6 by Jerome Rothenberg
The Body Song Of Kio by Ruea-a-raka
I Am The Woman Of The Greatest Expanse Of Water by Maria Sabina
A Coltrane Poem, Sels. by Sonia Sanchez
Incantation By Isis For The Revival Of The Dead Osiris by Edward Sanders
The Dog Vision by Hehaka (black Elk) Sapa
The Calyx, Calyx, Someone Has Ripped It by Armand Schwerner
Away! The Foul Fiend Follows Me by William Shakespeare
Teton Sioux Song by Shell Necklace
Mesita Men by Leslie Marmon Silko
Si'ahh Aash by Leslie Marmon Silko
Ioanna Raving by Takis Sinopoulos
In Canyon De Chelly On The North Wall by Gary Snyder
Myths And Texts: Hunting: 1. First Shaman Song by Gary Snyder
A Church Leapt Up by Philippe Soupault
A Book Of Confusions, Sels. by Charles Stein
Listen To Me, Sels. by Gertrude Stein
Ploughing On Sunday by Wallace Stevens
I Have Been A Blue Salmon by Taliesin
A Poem For The Wind by Taliesin
Teton Sioux Song by Teal Duck
How Isaac Tens Became A Shaman by Isaac Tens
Song by Isaac Tens
Song by Isaac Tens
Song by Isaac Tens
Song by Isaac Tens
The Gumagabu Song by Tomakam
The Lovers: 1 by Tomoki
The Lovers: 2 by Tomoki
Manifesto On Feeble And Bitter Love, Sels. by Tristan Tzara
The Abortion by Anonymous
After The Rain God Tlaloc: A Dialogue For God And Chanters by Anonymous
Ah Pe-an T-as Ke T-an Te Loo by Anonymous
Al Que Quiere! by Anonymous
Amoyotl by Anonymous
Another Mountain by Anonymous
Arm And Hand by Anonymous
Bald Mountain Zaum-poems, With Velimir Khlebnikov by Anonymous
The Battle Between Anat And The Forces Of Mot by Anonymous
Beard Event by Anonymous
The Big Lord Of Lives by Anonymous
Birth Of The Fire God by Anonymous
Bitumen by Anonymous
Blindness by Anonymous
Blood River Shaman Chant by Anonymous
A Breastplate Against Death by Anonymous
Burial Events by Anonymous
The Calendar by Anonymous
The Cannibal Hymn by Anonymous
Canter For Me, Little Jackal, O Little Jackal by Anonymous
Cattle by Anonymous
The Cave by Anonymous
The Chapter Of Changing Into Ptah by Anonymous
Climbing Event by Anonymous
Codex Boturini, Sels. by Anonymous
Come, Ascend The Ladder; All Come In: All Sit Down by Anonymous
The Comet by Anonymous
Conversations In Courtship, Sels. by Anonymous
Coronation Event And Drama by Anonymous
The Crows Came In [or, Sat Down] by Anonymous
Dad A Da Da by Anonymous
The Daybreak by Anonymous
Death Rites 2 by Anonymous
Deep Song by Anonymous
The Dream Of Enkidu by Anonymous
A Dream Of The Afterlife by Anonymous
Drum Song #7 by Anonymous
Egyptian God Names by Anonymous
Eighteen Year-old Girl by Anonymous
The Elegy For The Great Inca Atawallpa, Sels. by Anonymous
The Elephant: 1 by Anonymous
The Elephant: 2 by Anonymous
The Fairy Woman's Lullaby by Anonymous
Father Have Pity On Me by Anonymous
The Father Will Descend by Anonymous
The Flight Of Quetzalcoatl by Anonymous
Flower World: Three Poems From The Yaqui Deer Dance by Anonymous
For The Rain God Tlaloc: A Dialogue For God And Chanters by Anonymous
Forest by Anonymous
Forest Event by Anonymous
The Fox by Anonymous
Garbage Event by Anonymous
Gassire's Lute by Anonymous
The Genealogy Of The Gods From Primal Nothingnes by Anonymous
The Genealogy Of The Gods From Primal Nothingness by Anonymous
Genesis: 1 by Anonymous
Genesis: 2 by Anonymous
Genesis: 2 by Anonymous
Genesis: 3 by Anonymous
Genesis: 4 by Anonymous
Genesis: 5 by Anonymous
Gift Event by Anonymous
The Girl Of The Early Race Who Made The Stars by Anonymous
The Goddess Laksmi %loves To Make Love To Vishnu by Anonymous
Going-around-event by Anonymous
The Goulburn Island Cycle: Song 2 by Anonymous
Grease Feast Event by Anonymous
Havamal (poetic Edda), Sels. by Anonymous
Heaven's Old Grandfather by Anonymous
Heya Heya Hey-a Yo-ho Yo-ho Yaha Hahe-ya-an by Anonymous
Hoe by Anonymous
Horse Is Coming Down by Anonymous
Horses To Graze by Anonymous
Horses To Graze by Anonymous
Hyena by Anonymous
I Am Still Carving An Ironwood Stick by Anonymous
The I Ching, Or Book Of Changes by Anonymous
I Circle Around %the Boundaries Of The Earth by Anonymous
I Circle Around %the Boundaries Of The Earth by Anonymous
I Want To Cry, Yet Dare Not Cry Out by Anonymous
I Watched The White Dogs Of The Dawn by Anonymous
I'm Bring Up A Fly by Anonymous
Ika Meji by Anonymous
Is There Someone On Shore? by Anonymous
It Has A Red Flower, It Has Power by Anonymous
It's Bitter To Be Poor by Anonymous
It's Today I'm Supposed %to Go Away by Anonymous
Keeing Still %the Mountain by Anonymous
Keeping Still %the Mountain by Anonymous
Kiho, Sels. by Anonymous
The Killer by Anonymous
The Kojjiki, Sels. by Anonymous
Krishna Went Out To Play by Anonymous
The Lake Dries Up At The Edges by Anonymous
Language Event by Anonymous
The Lightning Snakes (a Love Poem) by Anonymous
Like Planting A Rose On A Heap Of Cow Trurds' by Anonymous
Lily Events by Anonymous
A List Of Bad Dreams Chanted As A Cause And Cure by Anonymous
The Little Hut Falls Down by Anonymous
Little Leper Of Munjolobo by Anonymous
The Little Lord Of Lives by Anonymous
A Love Poem With Witches by Anonymous
The Lovers by Anonymous
The Machi Exorcises The Spirit by Anonymous
Mantra For Binding A Witch by Anonymous
Marriage Event by Anonymous
The Marrying Maiden by Anonymous
Men's Song by Anonymous
Men's Song by Anonymous
The Message Of King Sakis And The Legend Of The 12 Dreams by Anonymous
Mirror Stone by Anonymous
Money-grubbing Slave by Anonymous
The Moon-bone Cycle by Anonymous
A Mother And Child by Anonymous
A Mountain by Anonymous
The Mountain Spirit by Anonymous
A Mushroom by Anonymous
My Shining Horns by Anonymous
Nahuatl Poem: 1 by Anonymous
Nahuatl Poem: 2 by Anonymous
Nahuatl Poem: 3 by Anonymous
The Nine Herbs Charm by Anonymous
The Nine Herbs Charm by Anonymous
Noise Event by Anonymous
Nottamun Town by Anonymous
Now In The Sky by Anonymous
O The Ha-tree, O The Hard Tree! by Anonymous
Odin Shaman Song by Anonymous
Offering Flowers by Anonymous
Ogotemmeli by Anonymous
Oo La La! by Anonymous
Origin-legend Of The Chou Tribe by Anonymous
Oriki Ogun by Anonymous
Peacemaking Event by Anonymous
Perhaps A Hunyer Or A Farmer Paid Money For This Evil by Anonymous
A Peruvian Death Song by Anonymous
Pidgin Song by Anonymous
The Pig by Anonymous
A Poem For The Goddess Her City And The Marriage by Anonymous
Poems For A Carnival by Anonymous
A Poison Arrow by Anonymous
Praise Song Of The Buck-hare by Anonymous
The Praises Of The Falls by Anonymous
Prayer Of First Dancers by Anonymous
The Precipice by Anonymous
The Quest Of Milarepa by Anonymous
The River God by Anonymous
The Round Dance Of Jesus by Anonymous
Ruby-throated Hummingbird by Anonymous
Secret Road by Anonymous
Setchin The Singer by Anonymous
A Shaman Climbs Up The Sky by Anonymous
A Shaman Vision Poem by Anonymous
Shrill Cries Of Crickets by Anonymous
Sightings: Kunapipi by Anonymous
The Soaring-dart by Anonymous
Song Of A Men's Secret Society by Anonymous
A Song Of Amergin by Anonymous
A Song Of Changes by Anonymous
Song Of The Arval Brothers by Anonymous
Song Of The Dead, Relating To The Origin Of Bitterness by Anonymous
Song Of The Humpbacked Flute Player by Anonymous
The Song Of Ullikummi, Sels. by Anonymous
Songs And Spirit Songs, Sels. by Anonymous
The Sound Of A Cracked Elephant Tusk by Anonymous
Spell Again Jaundice by Anonymous
Spell Against Jaundice by Anonymous
A Splinter Of Stone Which Is White by Anonymous
The Stars by Anonymous
Stone Fire Event by Anonymous
The Story Of Leonard Tortpoise by Anonymous
The Sun Up There, Up There by Anonymous
A Tailless Black Sow by Anonymous
Taming The Storm: A Two-shaman Vision And Event by Anonymous
The Tenth Horse Song Of Frank Mitchell by Anonymous
Things Seen By The Shaman Karawe by Anonymous
Three Magic Events by Anonymous
To Gazelle Mask by Anonymous
To The God Of Fire As Horse by Anonymous
A Toishan Song by Anonymous
Tolai Songs by Anonymous
Toto Waca by Anonymous
The Train by Anonymous
The Train by Anonymous
Twelve Kura Songs From Tikopia by Anonymous
The Twelve-word Song Of Blessing by Anonymous
Two For The God Aia by Anonymous
The Voice Of The Karaw by Anonymous
The Vulva Song Of Inana by Anonymous
War God's Horse Song: 1 by Anonymous
War God's Horse Song: 2 by Anonymous
The Waves by Anonymous
We Are The Fire That Burns The Country by Anonymous
We Shall Live Again by Anonymous
We Shall Live Again by Anonymous
What Fell Down? Penis! by Anonymous
What Fell Down? Vulva! by Anonymous
When Hare Heard Of Death, He Started For His Lodge by Anonymous
When Houses Were Alive by Anonymous
Where Are You Going Where Are You Going by Anonymous
Wild Man Events by Anonymous
Winter's Eve %baiting Of Apples by Anonymous
Woman by Anonymous
The Woman Who Married A Caterpillar by Anonymous
The Woman Who Took In A Larva To Nurse by Anonymous
Women's Song by Anonymous
Women's Song At A Wedding Feast by Anonymous
Words From Seven Magic Songs by Anonymous
Young Girl By The River by Anonymous
All Lives, All Dances, And All Is Loud by Anonymous - Gabon Pygmy
Death Rites: 1 by Anonymous - Gabon Pygmy
Death Rites: 2 by Anonymous - Gabon Pygmy
Ghosts And Shadows by Anonymous - Gabon Pygmy
Ilmarien Struck %fire by Anonymous - Finnish
Flight Of The Chiefs: Song 5 by Daubitu Velema
Blue Monday by Diane Wakoski
Because I Don't Have To Spit by Anne Waldman
A Man Torments The Sun by Barrett Watten
Light by Hannah Weiner
Pirates by Hannah Weiner
Demon Or Bird? by Walt Whitman
5000 New Ways, Sels. by Emmett Williams
Improvised Song Against A White Man by Zarabe
-- Table of Poems from Poem Finder® --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Inside Flap

"Technicians of the Sacred presents 'primitive' and ancient poetries as the incantations they are, loaded with power and very full of the magic that invests all good poetry. The treatment is fascinating...the commentaries are a gold mine of responses to the material by a strong poet (the editor), and his selection of analogous writings from a broad range of contemporary poets."--David P. McAllester

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 636 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 2nd Revised & enlarged edition (May 8, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520049128
• ISBN-13: 978-0520049123
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #344,481 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An extraordinary, unique and delightful anthology., June 4, 2001

By 

Douglas Wolk "dbcloud" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Technicians of the Sacred: A Range of Poetries from Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania, Second edition, Revised and Expanded (Paperback)

I was introduced to this book by a fiction writing teacher to whom I'll always be grateful. It's a fresh, ingenious selection of ritual and sacred poetry from around the world, translated with irreverence and raw attitude. If you're used to the vague New Age-isms of what usually gets thought of as "ritual" and "sacred," pick this up and get a jolt--Rothenberg finds incredibly powerful language in places where it wouldn't occur to most people to look, and he's not afraid of crudeness and hilarity. Amazing stuff. A friend of mine has worn out copies of both the first edition and this one, and I don't blame her.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring for artists, June 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Technicians of the Sacred: A Range of Poetries from Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania, Second edition, Revised and Expanded (Paperback)

Back in the 1970s I discovered this book. It became my companion. Its rich poetry, its multitudes of rituals and images have inspired my batiks and paintings for the past thirty years. What variety and life!

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Listen, March 13, 2000

By 

benjamin berlin (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Technicians of the Sacred: A Range of Poetries from Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania, Second edition, Revised and Expanded (Paperback)

As we begin to see this earth suffer the effects of our presence here, these poems -with roots in every continent- speak together of this planet as a sacred place. One perhaps we might still come to treat well. Read a few aloud, sit in your garden this spring and read a Navajo corn song, stir, stir ... This is well researched, carefully and lovingly translated; it should accompany any studies of native cultures worldwide.