Ground Work: Before the War

by Robert Duncan

first of two volumes of the poet's last work

Genres: Poetry

175 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Robert Edward Duncan (January 7, 1919 – February 3, 1988) was an American poet associated with any number of literary traditions and schools, Duncan is often identified with the poets of the New American Poetry and Black Mountain College. Duncan saw his work as emerging especially from the tradition of Pound, Williams and Lawrence. Duncan was a key figure in the San Francisco Renaissance.

Reviews

[Kent]

The ideas Duncan expresses in this book are fascinating. The idea of poetry as a personal act that, through dissemination, can become a political act. And the lyric interrogation of word by different Renaissance poets, and how those poems are trying to do the same thing he is doing, makes this book a structural pleasure to read. My main issue is with the language. I am in love with Duncan's felicity with language, especially in the course of a poem, and it just feels to me he put concept before style in this book.

[Blueberry]

"Clonkt lightning!"

[Mills College Library]

811.54 D9123g 1984