The morning star

by Kenneth Rexroth

Book by REXROTH, K

Genres: Poetry, Japan

90 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Kenneth Rexroth was an American poet, translator, and critical essayist.

He is regarded as a central figure in the San Francisco Renaissance, and paved the groundwork for the movement. Although he did not consider himself to be a Beat poet, and disliked the association, he was dubbed the "Father of the Beats" by Time magazine.

Largely self-educated, Rexroth learned several languages and translated poems from Chinese, French, Spanish, and Japanese. He was among the first poets in the United States to explore traditional Japanese poetic themes and forms.

Rexroth died in Santa Barbara, California, on June 6, 1982. He had spent his final years translating Japanese and Chinese women poets, as well as promoting the work of female poets in America and overseas.

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although not marketed as such, this is a compilation of three books written in Kyoto and first published by small well-lighted presses in the 1970's, The Silver Swan , On Flower Wreath Hill , and The Love Poems of Marichiko . Each of these is strikingly beautiful in its own right, Marichiko, in addition to being the best literary hoax I'm aware of from the latter half of the twentieth century, also, along with W. S. Merwin's Finding the Islands , the most beautiful erotic verse produced by an American of the period. So three in one, all good, in an attractive 1979 New Directions edition which doesn't cost a bomb.

[yarrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rexroth's poems are enjoyable, especially his consideration mortality, flowers and the void. but the five stars are deserved by Marichiko, whose love poems he translated wonderfully.

[Donald · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried, but this just isn't good.

[James Lee Jobe · Rating 4 out of 5]

rexroth at his musical best, gentle and precise. and the wonderful of hoax of marichiko is excellent in its own right.

[Vincent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silver Swan 4/5
On Flower Wreath Hill 3/5
Love Poems of Marichiko 5/5

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original and Japanese poems in translation. All beautiful pieces.

[Everett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three books in one, which is great considering copies of his ‘On Flower Wreath Hill’ are rare and alone cost hundreds of dollars. True to form for Rexroth, the poems are short but the imagery is luscious and sensual, especially his ‘Marichiko’ verses.

‘(…) it’s a great pleasure to
Walk through fallen leaves, but
Remember, you are alive,
As they were two months ago’

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good. 4 of 5.

[Scipio Africanus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Also includes the rare, "Love poems of Marichiko" which is out of print, and amazing

[Howard Cruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was a quick but decent read; some poems reached me more than others despited the age gap of my experience which was nice.