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Flying At Night: Poems 1965-1985
by
Ted Kooser
This collection is drawn from two of the U.S. Poet Laureate's earlier books, One World at a Time and Sure Signs.
Paperback, 158 pages
Published
March 11th 2005
by University of Pittsburgh Press
(first published March 5th 2005)
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This collection is culled from two of Kooser's previous collections: Sure Signs and One World at a Time. Sure Signs seems to be represented almost in its entirety. I cannot be certain, however, because the copy that I saw at Barnes & Noble was shrinkwrapped. Oh mystery, how you entice us.
Kooser's poems are brief yet captivating. Kooser's ability is exemplified in the following poem:
Carrie
"There's never an end to dust
and dusting," my aunt w...more
Kooser's poems are brief yet captivating. Kooser's ability is exemplified in the following poem:
Carrie
"There's never an end to dust
and dusting," my aunt w...more
view all 3 comments
Kooser is something of a similar poet to Billy Collins for me in that I'd definitely say he is a talented and eloquent, but as far as "interesting" goes, it's only half of the time. Long story short (because my last review didn't save apparently): Kooser needs to improve on subject matter. The man's imagery is superb and I'll give props to anyone that can write a short poem without making it feel like a collection of unfinished fragments or open-ended nonsense, but his writing doesn't ...more
A nice collection of poems by a former poet laureate of the U.S. Rather heavily focused on scenes from the Midwest, though some poems are less about location than mood, or personal experiences. I think "The Urine Specimen" struck me as one of the odder poems, not just because of the reaction I initially had ("ewww...who would write a poem about THAT?"), but more so because of the reaction I had after I read it ("wow! Why wouldn't someone write about such a common expe...more
Kooser is my kind of poet -- one you can slow dance to. He also seems to have a rather likeable obsession with moths. Here is (I think) the best poem in this collection. There is only one line I don't like. Hint -- it is not that it is a "bad" line, it is just that it is too explicit about an idea that is already obvious from the rest of the poem. Better hint -- it is near the end.
In the Basement of the Goodwill Store
In musty light, in the thin ...more
In the Basement of the Goodwill Store
In musty light, in the thin ...more
Ted Kooser, Flying at Night (University of Pittsburgh, 2005)
For the first quarter of this book, it seemed to me something was missing. I'm still not entirely sure what it was, but then things smoothed out a bit, presumably as Kooser got older (I'm assuming rough chronological order here). From that point on, it's the same sort of stuff Ted Kooser has written for the past thirty-odd years, and it's all quite good:
“Behind each garage a ladder
sleeps in the leaves, its ...more
For the first quarter of this book, it seemed to me something was missing. I'm still not entirely sure what it was, but then things smoothed out a bit, presumably as Kooser got older (I'm assuming rough chronological order here). From that point on, it's the same sort of stuff Ted Kooser has written for the past thirty-odd years, and it's all quite good:
“Behind each garage a ladder
sleeps in the leaves, its ...more
Kooser's imagery is amazing at times, and I enjoyed the poetry for its compactness and accessibility. Kooser unfortunately does not seem to be able to bring his poems to a proper end or conclusion; for the most part, the endings are lackluster, without the "turn" or strong imagery I expected. Still, though, an enjoyable read, and I will probably seek out some more of his stuff, since I very much like the plain nature of the poetry.
If I were going to a place where I could take only one book with me, then please make it book of Ted Kooser's poems. This book would do nicely. Unlike many contemporary poets, Kooser writes about what he observes and not about what he does. He writes for the reader, to show us what he sees by how it relates to an idea or to a feeling. He has a gift for making comparisons that catch the exact nature of his subject. I find myself in awe at how his mind works and will reread each poem again and aga...more
I would read anything by Ted Kooser. This book is early Kooser, 1965-1985. It's not my favorite work of his, he honed/refined his observational style over the years, but there is some great work here. I love "The Goldfish floats to the top of his life" which speaks to so many of us trapped in the corporate world, and "Abandoned Farmhouse" which he also references in "The Poetry Home Repair Manual".
I've decided that Kooser is the Norman Rockwell of poetry--folksy scenes of Americana: garage sales, funeral luncheons, canning fruit, nursing homes. His character sketches sort of ennoble the plain, modest lives of his fellow mid-westerners. If you're looking for inscrutable, multi-layered poems with verbal pyro-technics, look elsewhere. If you're the kind of person who enjoys your weekly update on the News From Lake Wobegone, Kooser might be just your brand of avuncular storyteller.
Ted Kooser is delightful in a similar way to Billy Collins. I don't think I like him as much, because he's not as whimsical and consistently funny, but he does have a remarkable view of the world that he shares well. Also very easy to read and grasp, I recommend him to anyone at all interested in poetry.
Ted Kooser once wrote 100 poems in 100 days. The important part of this statistic was that all of the poems were publishable. Yeah, that's why he was our poet laureate.
This is the second book of Kooser's poems that I've read, and there are treasures in here as well. He has a talent for exploring the smallest bits of life.
Poet Laureate of the US, Ted Kooser is easy to read and understand. Bedtime friendly for those of us who like to sleep on a poem.
Small, brilliant gems of poems...nearly all contain some smile-inducing line or phrase that makes you appreciate our language all the more.
The poetry collection that changed how I approach writing prose. And how I approach my world. Love, love, LOVE me some Kooser.
Kooser writes short, concise poems with fairly straightforward meaning. His work is a good choice for teaching imagery and meter.
Tim Boudreau
added it
The world is not good enough to be written about by Ted Kooser.
5 stars from Ruth, then another 5 from Ko. That nailed it.
Poems that have dignity, but are not dignified. Except for the poem on the urine sample, which neither has dignity nor is dignified, and worse still, is not humorous.
Mariya
marked it as to-read
OB
Not his best overall, but the third section was. Good poems.
Quiet and simple, but the imagery is wonderful.
I enjoy reading a bit of poetry almost everyday, and Ted Kooser is charming and wise. This book of selected poems is what one woman in my book discussion group likes to call "accessible."
Kooser's poems are wonderful. They're accessible with images from daily life, short and pithy, giving you a new way of appreciating the ordinary. I never tire of them.
I love this man. His ability to write such beautiful poems whether they are short or long...breathtakingly awesome!
This is a wonderful book of poems. And don't be afraid - they are very accessible! Well worth the time.
No one does metaphor like Kooser - masterful and accessible poetry.
Wonderful and memorable images unclouded by too many ideas.
Desiree
marked it as to-read
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Ted Kooser lives in rural Nebraska with his wife, Kathleen, and three dogs. He is one of America's most noted poets, having served two terms as U. S. Poet Laureate and, during the second term, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for his collection, DELIGHTS & SHADOWS. He is a retired life insurance executive who now teaches part-time at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. The school board in L...more
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“Above us, stars. Beneath us, constellations.
Five billion miles away, a galaxy dies
like a snowflake falling on water. Below us,
some farmer, feeling the chill of that distant death,
snaps on his yard light, drawing his sheds and barn
back into the little system of his care.
All night, the cities, like shimmering novas,
tug with bright streets at lonely lights like his.”
—
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More quotes…
Five billion miles away, a galaxy dies
like a snowflake falling on water. Below us,
some farmer, feeling the chill of that distant death,
snaps on his yard light, drawing his sheds and barn
back into the little system of his care.
All night, the cities, like shimmering novas,
tug with bright streets at lonely lights like his.”
