The Weather of Words: Poetic Invention

by Mark Strand

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, a brilliant and witty collection of writings on the art and nature of poetry -- a master class both entertaining and provocative.

The pieces have a broad range and many levels. In one, we sit with the teenage Mark Strand while he reads for the first time a poem that truly amazes "You, Andrew Marvell" by Archibald MacLeish, in which night sweeps in an unstoppable but exhilarating circle around the earth toward the speaker standing at noon. The essay goes on to explicate the poem, but it also evokes, through its form and content, the poem's meaning -- time's circular passage -- with the young Strand first happening upon the poem, the older Strand seeing into it differently, but still amazed.

Among the other subjects Strand the relationship between photographs and poems, the eternal nature of the lyric, the contemporary use of old forms, four American views of Parnassus, and an alphabet of poetic influences.

We visit as well Strandian parallel universes, whose absurdity illuminates the lack of a vital discussion of poetry in our culture at Borges drops in on a man taking a bath, perches on the edge of the tub, and discusses translation; a president explains in his farewell address why he reads Chekhov to his cabinet.

Throughout The Weather of Words , Mark Strand explores the crucial job of poets and their readers, who together joyfully attempt the impossible -- to understand through language that which lies beyond words.

Genres: Poetry, Literary Criticism, Nonfiction

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Mark Strand was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American poet, essayist, and translator. He was appointed Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 1990. He was a professor of English at Columbia University and also taught at numerous other colleges and universities.

Strand also wrote children's books and art criticism, helped edit several poetry anthologies and translated Spanish poet Rafael Alberti.

He is survived by a son, a daughter and a sister.

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was like a series of lectures on poetry ranging from poetry explications, to discussion of the connection between poetry and photography, to philosophical poems written by Mark Strand. I liked some essays better than others and was a bit thrown by the fact that the essays frequently didn't flow together well. Each essay is very much a stand alone piece, but some of the themes do carry through the book. The section on photography was excellent, particularly in comparison to the work of Sontag that I read recently. I also loved the section on why poetry is crucial to human experience. Strand passionately suggests that "The way poetry has of setting our internal house in order, of formalizing emotion difficult to articulate, is one of the reasons we still depend on it in moments of crisis and during those times when it is important that we know, in so many words, what we are going through" (51).

Strand argues for the continued relevance of poetry even as he argues that poetry is essentially self referential. The poem is always about itself at the same time that it is about an event, or a feeling, or something at the core of our humanity.

I also enjoyed "The Poet's Alphabet" which outlined a number of elements, A to Z, that are integral to poetry in general and to Strand's poetry in particular.

Overall I would recommend this to people with an interest in poetry and those who are keen to develop an interest in poetry. Reading this book straight through isn't necessary. I probably should have picked and chose chapters rather than reading it through.

[Scott Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A small book, in length, with depths to reward the careful reader. Lots on the craft of poetry, and some interesting essays on others’ work, along with a couple of prose poems that I hadn’t seen elsewhere. Worth a look if you’re a fan or hoping to learn more about process, as I am, but maybe not essential. 4 stars for the kind of reader I am, 3 for everyone else.

[Corin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quote:

"We tend to be much more comfortable reading a novel when we don’t feel distracted by its language. What we want while reading a novel is to get on with it. A poem works the opposite way. It encourages slowness, encourages us to savor every word. It is in poetry that the power of language is most palpably felt. But in a culture that favors speed-reading along with fast food, ten-second news bites, and other abbreviated forms of ingestion, who wants something that makes you slow down?"

--Mark Strand

[Lauren Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eclectic collection of writings by well-known poet. Some creative non-fiction, some discussion on poetry in general and about some poets and poems specifically. 5/09

[Doug Westberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Strand is an American original, unsurpassed and beyond imitation. He is my idol, and finding this book is like finding Segovia's guitar or Houdini's book of secrets.

[Owain Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicely put together collection of essays on poetry, ranging from the sarcastic and funny to sincere and generous. Strand's criticism is intelligent yet comfortably non-academic, seeking not to disect poems to get at any kind of intrinsic meaning but rather to open up the possibilities of interpretation. A wise and generous collection with a good few laughs thrown in. Uncommonly enjoyable in a field that is often dry and joyless.

[julieta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved a couple of essays on this book, the more personal ones, and although I enjoyed his thoughts on poetry, I was looking for something more personal. I have not actually read his poetry, but thought this would be more of a personal essay, but no, it´s more a collection of essays put together for no other reason, it seems, that they were written by the same person. A bit disperse as a whole, still it has some great thoughts.

[Rachel Wierick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wanted to love this because we had done a whole project on the Poet’s Alphabet in my favorite class in high school. But the truth is it’s mostly the ramblings of a white man who is used to have his opinion heard and accepted.

[Yates Buckley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely book that roams around poetry, reviewing it, suggesting it, comparing and writing it in a long form closer to fiction.

It helps me understand what poetry is.

[Mark Stratton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Fascinating, and at the same time, dense look at poetry and poetics. I enjoyed most of it, and didn't understand the rest. Which is okay, as the fault lies with me and not Strand. This particular book will bear repeated readings, especially since the structure of non-related articles makes for a good reference. Good stuff.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book starts off obliquely but picks up more direct engagement with poetry as it goes along. Finishes more strongly than it begins, which may have been done on purpose to draw in the reluctant poetry reader. It nearly discouraged me from continuing but the essays are so short that I persisted. Glad I did. 3.5-4 stars.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book. Some of the essays resonated more strongly for me than others did, but each one gave me something new to think about and some beautiful passages to mark and return to. I suspect that if I re-read this book in 10 years, I'll notice things that didn't grab me this time. The opening and closing pieces ("A Poet's Alphabet" and "The President's Resignation") were superb.

[Cooper Renner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strand writes really well about writers--Wordsworth, Vergil, Donald Justice, etc. But the "creative" prose in here is less interesting to me--"precious" rather than valuable.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly inventive writing. One of my favorite works by Mark Strand.

[Sigrun Hodne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvelous essays on writing!