All the collected short poems, 1923-1964

by Louis Zukofsky

Louis Zukofsky was one of the most important second-generation American modernist poets. He was co-founder and primary theorist of the Objectivist group of poets and was to be an important influence on subsequent generations of poets in America and abroad.

Genres: Poetry

245 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1971

About the author

Louis Zukofsky was one of the most important second-generation American modernist poets. He was co-founder and primary theorist of the Objectivist group of poets and was to be an important influence on subsequent generations of poets in America and abroad.

Reviews

[M.W.P.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

All: The Collected Short Poems 1923-1958 is divided into three parts: "55 Poems", "Anew", and "Barely and widely"...

From "55 Poems"...

Gleams, a green lamp
In the fog:
Murmur, in almost
A dialogue

Siren and signal
Siren to signal.

Parts the shore from the fog,
Rise there, tower on tower,
Signs of stray light
And of power.

Siren to signal
Siren to signal.

Hour-gongs and the green
Of the lamp.

Plash. Night. Plash. Sky.

- Ferry, pg. 27

* * *

"At heaven's gate" the larks: have
Read to date the nth reversion, "re" Marx

Of the mind's image a hanger
A red crane - on the nearby wharves

In the spring-blue day - not working
But not our of languor

January the 29 , the 29th birthday
Falling on a Sunday

As planned there should be to-day
29 songs written over two years

And with, but without expected, pay

I have written down twenty-three
Leaving 5 and another page blank

To record a January without snow
For the delectation of the file and rank.

- N.Y., pg. 72

From "Anew"...

I walked out, before
"Break of day"
And saw
Four cabins in the hay.

Blue sealed glasses
Of preserves - four -
In the window-sash
In the yard on the bay.

Further:
The waters
At the ramp
Running away.

- che di lor suona su nella tua vita, pg. 85

* * *

No ache, love, 's the way to start the New Year, -
chant, then, "New Year" like "No ache" in your ear,
all the while I praise wind and love your face
above snow that melts over trees' space:
carol "No ache" like "New Year" between trees
that removed still share a few centuries.

- Celia's birthday poem, pg. 108

From "Barely and widely"...

This
is
not
more
snow
to
fall

but
a
gust
of
the
softest -
bending

down
the
wood
of
gardens'
branches
into

a
girls
and
boys
pastoral,
old

years
not
to
wink
looks,
middle

life
to
chase,
it's
musical

- A Valentine, pg. 120-121

* * *

The baited
bear
on
the ashtray

shows more
flare
than the
tramp

in his whip
tho
perhaps
enough's

there
to
give them
heart.

- Ashtray, pg. 126

* * *

Three
crimson
mongrels
bait

the whip
in a boot
on a
leg.

- Another Ashtray, pg. 126