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85th out of 160 books
—
79 voters
The Selected Poetry
In 1938 Random House published The Selected Poetry of Robinson Jeffers, a volume that would remain in print for more than fifty years. For decades it drew enough poets, students, and general readers to keep Jeffers—in spite of the almost total academic neglect that followed his fame in the 1920s and 1930s—a force in American poetry.
Now scholars are at last beginning to rec...more
Now scholars are at last beginning to rec...more
Paperback, 776 pages
Published
April 1st 2002
by Stanford University Press
(first published 1938)
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Jan 22, 2010
Andrew Sydlik
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Andrew by:
Don Wentworth
Shelves:
poetry
At the end of the book, I was even more impressed than when I had begun. Honestly, I was going to give this 4 stars instead of 5, because some of the earlier poems are so-so, or have awkward moments. But he really bloomed as the years went on, despite the fact that his popularity took an opposite turn. I rarely feel the sensation that Emily Dickinson said indicates good poetry, feeling like the top of your head has been blown off. But I felt this from a number of Jeffers' poems.
Jeffers took a ha...more
Jeffers took a ha...more
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Jeffers is my favorite American poet. He made some weird comments about FDR and the second world war, and he was taken out of the cannon. He is better known in eastern Europe than in his home country. In my opinion, his shorter poems got even better after he was blacklisted.
He was famous for his plays and for his long narrative poems. Most of his longer poems had to do with incest. Jeffers thought mankind's preoccupation with itself was a kind of incest. In his shorter poems, he wrote about roc...more
He was famous for his plays and for his long narrative poems. Most of his longer poems had to do with incest. Jeffers thought mankind's preoccupation with itself was a kind of incest. In his shorter poems, he wrote about roc...more
1) I have a feeling that Jeffers ages like wine. Problem is, at least for the time being, I can't drink wine without puking.
2) Not that I puked while reading Jeffers. Well, once. But that wasn't his fault.
3) I heard that Nietzsche puked when he had his great epiphany, and I know that Jeffers loved Nietzsche. Maybe there is just some intellectual stomach bug going around, infecting one generation after the other. Thus, from now on, I will read Jeffers while wearing a surgical mask and latex glo...more
2) Not that I puked while reading Jeffers. Well, once. But that wasn't his fault.
3) I heard that Nietzsche puked when he had his great epiphany, and I know that Jeffers loved Nietzsche. Maybe there is just some intellectual stomach bug going around, infecting one generation after the other. Thus, from now on, I will read Jeffers while wearing a surgical mask and latex glo...more
Certainly not my cup of tea and most likely another reason I could give for the general mass of humanity taught at all ages through their schooling experience to not like poetry either. I am sure there are some redeeming qualities of Jeffers' poetry to the historians among us, but that is something I am simply not interested in. Having cultural, civic, and worldly events chronicled through narrative poetry is a media that quickly puts me to sleep and I find no pleasantries in it. My body almost...more
In my view Jeffers deserves the widest possible readership. Stark, sweeping, eagle-eyed verse. To the bone. 'Shine, Perishing Republic' and 'Cassandra' stand out.
everything must be reconsidered after reading these poems. i also really liked the small selections of his prose, which were mostly introductions to his works. "the loving shepherdess" is the only one of the longer works which i liked, although all of the longer poems have parts of sheer brilliance. the beginning of "hungerfield" was deeply moving, as was the ending, but the middle was "typical" dense, obscure Jeffers; not unenjoyable, but not ecstatic.
one way to describe him is as "a nature po...more
one way to describe him is as "a nature po...more
Read the poem Hurt Hawks.
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Making space on the bookshelves and trying to be brutal with myself in my attempt to give stuff away... I've hung onto this since college, but in truth, I don't remember a single poem from it, (one about birds, maybe?) And I know I'll never delve into it again.
I DID come away from the Contemporary American Poetry class with an appreciation for other poets I'd never heard of before then, such as William Carlos Williams and Wallace Stevens. But poor ol' Jeffers is getting the boot from my persona...more
I DID come away from the Contemporary American Poetry class with an appreciation for other poets I'd never heard of before then, such as William Carlos Williams and Wallace Stevens. But poor ol' Jeffers is getting the boot from my persona...more
This is my first real Robinson Jeffers reading (aside from random class-assigned poems), and is already one of my favorite poets. He called the Big Sur region home, and perhaps that's why he resonates with me, as I have a recently acquired particular love for that stretch of mid-California coastal gorgeousness (helped in part by Jack Kerouac's Big Sur
).
His themes consistently cover nature, the sea, God (both the existence of and a lack thereof), and mankind--its hypocrisies, its created conflict...more
).His themes consistently cover nature, the sea, God (both the existence of and a lack thereof), and mankind--its hypocrisies, its created conflict...more
Robinson Jeffers was born on January 10, 1887. In this, the definitive selection of Jeffers poetry, there is a broad selection that includes his best efforts. Ranging from Roan Stallion and Cawdor from the twenties to his last poems in the late fifties, the collection demonstrates that he belongs in the pantheon with the best poets of the ages. "Rock and Hawk" is both one of his greatest poems and one of my favorites; but I also relish the great thoughts found in some of the smallest poems:
"I a...more
"I a...more
I found this slim volume on the bookshelf of the home we are staying in in Carmel. I had been meaning to visit Tor House while we were here and now hope that perhaps I will before we leave.
Along with the book I found a Reader's Guide published by The National Endowment of the Arts in collaboration with the Poetry Foundation in an effort called The Big Read. I encourage anyone who sees this to visit their site at www.NEABigRead.org. It is an amazing site filled with books of all kinds and informa...more
Along with the book I found a Reader's Guide published by The National Endowment of the Arts in collaboration with the Poetry Foundation in an effort called The Big Read. I encourage anyone who sees this to visit their site at www.NEABigRead.org. It is an amazing site filled with books of all kinds and informa...more
Shine, Perishing Republic
While this America settles in the mould of its vulgarity, heavily thickening
to empire
And protest, only a bubble in the molten mass, pops and sighs out, and the
mass hardens,
I sadly smiling remember that the flower fades to make fruit, the fruit rots
to make earth.
Out of the mother; and through the spring exultances, ripeness and deca-
dence; and home to the mother.
You making haste haste on decay: not blameworthy; life is good, be it stub-
bornly long or suddenly
A m...more
Shine, Republic:
The quality of these trees, green height; of the sky, shining; of water, a clear flow; of the rock, hardness.
And reticence: each is noble in its quality. The love of freedom has been the quality of Western man.
There is a stubborn torch that flames from Marathon to Concord, its dangerous beauty binding three ages.
Into one time; the waves of barbarism and civilization have eclipsed but have never quenched it.
For the Greeks the love of beauty, for Rome of ruling; for the present...more
The quality of these trees, green height; of the sky, shining; of water, a clear flow; of the rock, hardness.
And reticence: each is noble in its quality. The love of freedom has been the quality of Western man.
There is a stubborn torch that flames from Marathon to Concord, its dangerous beauty binding three ages.
Into one time; the waves of barbarism and civilization have eclipsed but have never quenched it.
For the Greeks the love of beauty, for Rome of ruling; for the present...more
My favorite poet. Not for everyone, chock full of adult themes but very much an insight into the feral California male and his living off and in step with the untamed land.
If you are going to have one book of Jeffers, and if you are interested at all in 20th century American poetry you must have at least one, this is the one. Jeffers wrote a lot of beautiful shorter poems, but to really feel his passion it is necessary to become immersed in the longer narratives and this book gives some of them. It necessarily omits some of the long poems that are titles for sections of the book; Dear Judas, The women of Point Sur, Double Axe are three. Each of these narrative poe...more
Jul 22, 2012
Mark Ramstead
is currently reading it
I am almost through this book completely. In many ways it is the only book I should ever need to read... : )
The greatest American poet, in my mind. Jeffers surpasses all others in the poetic art!
I have never felt so much radical ambivalance toward a poet. If you want to read poems that are the poetic equivalant of being hit with rocks, read this dude. He is seriously amazing. And hates God. And does a better job of articulating and defending the position of the rational, "manly" atheist than anyone I've ever come across, except for maybe Camus and/or professor Lewis (the "manly" bit is his quote, read about it in Mere Christianity).
Unapologetic, brave, and utterly hopeless.
"Surely one...more
Unapologetic, brave, and utterly hopeless.
"Surely one...more
Despite this book of poems being just over one hundred pages it took me awhile to finish it. I read the first half in a year, and then the second half in about two weeks. The poems in this collection are in chronological order and span the lifework of Jeffers. It’s obvious to me that Jeffers really picked up in his later years; although, the poems written when he was younger are still good. Jeffers’ insights and wisdom are brilliant, no matter how misanthropic, and each poem contains a unique qu...more
“Joy is a trick in the air…”
Wonderful free verse narrative poems of a rural, littoral California long gone by (Depression era). I carried this tome around for quite a while. Many poems are like Greek tragedies. All the verse is strong, moving, gripping.
Jan 19, 2008
Robert
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Poet. People following contemporary politics.
Recommended to Robert by:
William Everson
I'm not aware of any political poetry more astute than Jeffers'. No poet saw and wrote as clearly of the consequences of our interdependency and the monsters our cities would become. His portraits of the natural world are rare in their clarity—without any sentimentality or the banality that frames our current discussions of nature and the "natural" world. A hard but lovely view of life, cruel and beautiful. When he thought of Mother Nature, classically schooled Jeffers, never forgot mothers such...more
drunken charlie, part iv
she lay in the stern of the boat,
and her body sang like a lark:
i curse the war-makers i curse
those that run to the ends of the earth
to exalt a system or save
a foreign power or foreign trade.
my boy was killed by a sea-lion,
and that was cruel but it was clean.
there are men plotting to kill
a million boys for a dead dream.
oh my dear there are some things
that are well worth fighting for.
fight to save a sea-gull's wings:
that would be a sacred war.
she lay in the stern of the boat,
and her body sang like a lark:
i curse the war-makers i curse
those that run to the ends of the earth
to exalt a system or save
a foreign power or foreign trade.
my boy was killed by a sea-lion,
and that was cruel but it was clean.
there are men plotting to kill
a million boys for a dead dream.
oh my dear there are some things
that are well worth fighting for.
fight to save a sea-gull's wings:
that would be a sacred war.
Tamar
Religions could and should be formed based out of this guy's point of view. I know it has informed the way I look at the world. Wait until those long winter nights, turn off the TV and open this book to just about any poem and just read. I find some of the longer form pieces which he's known for to be a little hard to follow and get through, so usually I'll just focus on one paragraph or sentence which really resonates. "I seem to have stood a long time and watched the stars pass."
You have to be in the right mood to read Jeffers--a little tired, a little melancholy, a little pessimistic. And only read a little of him at a time, if you don't want to be forced into utter despair. So this is a little book of Jeffers, and that's good. Though even at times reading this one, you just want to say to old Robby, Geez, lighten up. Have a beer. Get laid. Go play catch with your dog. Gossip with a friend. Listen to Fibber McGee and Molly on the radio....
A small booklet of some of Jeffers' most famous and moving poetry. A controversial poet, but nevertheless a national treasure. Tor House, Roan Stallion, Carmel Point, and Una are particularly moving.
Feb 09, 2008
Ron Wallace
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Again any man who thinks poetry isn't worth the time.
Recommended to Ron by:
Chuck Ladd
Shelves:
top-shelf
I picked this up on ebay before Christmas. I've always loved Jeffers poems. "Hurt Hawks" is another one of those poems that may rank among the best work ever. This is a great representative collectionof his work, glad I stumbled across it.
Tremendous work in an unbelievably small space. My copy became essentially on giant dog-ear. Although, a little preachy in parts, the overall tone of the indictment of the 20th century was pitch-perfect.
violence, hawks, rocks, big sur, a healthy distaste for man meets a sharp reverence for classical lit. homer meets muir. jarring, uncomprimising, resounding, righteous poetry. Jeffers is underrated.
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John Robinson Jeffers (January 10, 1887 – January 20, 1962) was an American poet, known for his work about the central California coast. Most of Jeffers' poetry was written in classic narrative and epic form, but today he is also known for his short verse, and considered an icon of the environmental movement.
The largest collections of Jeffers' manuscripts and materials are in the Harry Ransom Huma...more
More about Robinson Jeffers...
The largest collections of Jeffers' manuscripts and materials are in the Harry Ransom Huma...more
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“As for me, I would rather be a worm in a wild apple than a son of man. But we are what we are, and we might remember not to hate any person, for all are vicious; And not to be astonished at any evil, all are deserved; And not to fear death; it is the only way to be cleansed.”
—
10 people liked it
“A little too abstract, a little too wise,
It is time for us to kiss the earth again,
It is time to let the leaves rain from the skies,
Let the rich life run to the roots again.”
—
7 people liked it
More quotes…
It is time for us to kiss the earth again,
It is time to let the leaves rain from the skies,
Let the rich life run to the roots again.”
