Carcanet Press - Review of John Ashbery

An Overview of John Ashbery's Poetry

John Ashbery's poetry has always divided critics. Of his latest collection, Your Name Here, Vernon Scannel wrote that it was 'irritatingly camp and silly' ('Beware the flippant,' Review, 17 December, 2000), whilst Michael Glover sees beyond, what he terms as, the sign of "Difficult poet: Keep Out," stating the Ashbery is 'famously intriguing' ('Chapter and verse,' Weekend, Financial Times, 16 December, 2000, 4).

Ashbery is notorious for his fragmented use of language. Ashbery's choice of words often form an overbearing pile of jumbled images. This fragmentation can be frustrating and confusing. Nicholas de Jongh in The Guardian wrote of Ashbery that he'...is a representing rather than an explaining poet, he is liable to raise and evoke in his readers the very confusions and uncertainties that he presents on the page.' ('Waving not drowning,' Weekend Arts, The Guardian, 9 May, 1987, 13.)

Having always had an interest, and a level of involvement, in Surrealism and Dada, it is unsurprising that John Ashbery's work seeks to overturn reader expectations and resist the urge, on the reader's part, to find a unifying theme or thread within the poems. Any attempt to find a hidden meaning beyond the outward chaos is futile - each word or image stands as a solid wall of impenetrable darkness. To enjoy Ashbery's poetry, one has to give up the desire to 'discover' and lay bare the poet's real intent. It is more useful, instead, to embrace the mystery that has come to define Ashbery's work. It is the very experience of being mystified that enables the reader to enter Ashbery's dark disjointed world. Once within this darkness, the reader must allow the words to simply flow - no matter how haphazard and juxtaposed they appear to be. Only then, like Michael Glover found, can Ashbery's striking visual imagery and unexpected glimmers of humour be appreciated.

Quote of the Day It is impossible to imagine literary life in Britain without Carcanet. William Boyd Home Authors Titles Paperback Hardback Limited Edition Journal CD eBook Imprints Aspects of Portugal Audio Books Carcanet Fiction Carcanet Film Carcanet Poetry Comma Press FyfieldBooks Lintott Press Lives and Letters Northern House OxfordPoets PN Review Sheep Meadow Press Information About Us Academic Enquiries Authors For Events Catalogue Contact Us Copyright and Permissions Join Our Mailing List Opportunities at Carcanet Press Enquiries PN Review Shopping Guide Stocklist Submission Guidelines Trade Information Resources Audio Interviews Gallery Reviews Video
Book Search Search > advanced search Subscribe to our mailing list Submit
Review of John Ashbery *An Overview of John Ashbery's Poetry* John Ashbery's poetry has always divided critics. Of his latest collection, Your Name Here, Vernon Scannel wrote that it was 'irritatingly camp and silly' ('Beware the flippant,' Review, 17 December, 2000), whilst Michael Glover sees beyond, what he terms as, the sign of "Difficult poet: Keep Out," stating the Ashbery is 'famously intriguing' ('Chapter and verse,' Weekend, Financial Times, 16 December, 2000, 4). Ashbery is notorious for his fragmented use of language. Ashbery's choice of words often form an overbearing pile of jumbled images. This fragmentation can be frustrating and confusing. Nicholas de Jongh in The Guardian wrote of Ashbery that he'...is a representing rather than an explaining poet, he is liable to raise and evoke in his readers the very confusions and uncertainties that he presents on the page.' ('Waving not drowning,' Weekend Arts, The Guardian, 9 May, 1987, 13.) Having always had an interest, and a level of involvement, in Surrealism and Dada, it is unsurprising that John Ashbery's work seeks to overturn reader expectations and resist the urge, on the reader's part, to find a unifying theme or thread within the poems. Any attempt to find a hidden meaning beyond the outward chaos is futile - each word or image stands as a solid wall of impenetrable darkness. To enjoy Ashbery's poetry, one has to give up the desire to 'discover' and lay bare the poet's real intent. It is more useful, instead, to embrace the mystery that has come to define Ashbery's work. It is the very experience of being mystified that enables the reader to enter Ashbery's dark disjointed world. Once within this darkness, the reader must allow the words to simply flow - no matter how haphazard and juxtaposed they appear to be. Only then, like Michael Glover found, can Ashbery's striking visual imagery and unexpected glimmers of humour be appreciated. Previous review of John Ashbery... Next review of John Ashbery... To the John Ashbery page...	Share this... Quick Links Aspects of Portugal Audio Books Carcanet Fiction Carcanet Film Carcanet Poetry Comma Press FyfieldBooks Lintott Press Lives and Letters OxfordPoets PN Review Sheep Meadow Press The Carcanet Blog Let's Gimbal! read more Carcanet New Poetry Showcase: The Audience Writes Back read more John Gallas: A Little Andaluciad read more Carcanet Poetry Showcase: 30th April read more The Manchester Writing Competition 2013 read more Six Sixty-Six: Infinity by Gabriel Josipovici read more
We thank the Arts Council England for their support and assistance in this interactive Project.
Privacy Statement Sitemap RSS Feeds Home Authors Titles Imprints Information Resources This website ©2000-2013 Carcanet Press Ltd