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88 Poems
Spanning a thirty-eight-year period, from Hemingway's first poem published when he was twelve to private verses sent to Mary Welsh Hemingway in 1950, these lyrics, parodies, and satires touch on themes that range from war and love to contemporary literature
- GenresPoetry
189 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1979
5 people are currently reading
185 people want to read
About the author
Ernest Hemingway
2,203 books32.3k followersErnest Miller Hemingway was an American novelist, short-story writer and journalist. Best known for an economical, understated style that significantly influenced later 20th-century writers, he is often romanticized for his adventurous lifestyle, and outspoken and blunt public image. Most of Hemingway's works were published between the mid-1920s and mid-1950s, including seven novels, six short-story collections and two non-fiction works. His writings have become classics of American literature; he was awarded the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature, while three of his novels, four short-story collections and three nonfiction works were published posthumously.
Hemingway was raised in Oak Park, Illinois. After high school, he spent six months as a cub reporter for The Kansas City Star before enlisting in the Red Cross. He served as an ambulance driver on the Italian Front in World War I and was seriously wounded in 1918. His wartime experiences formed the basis for his 1929 novel A Farewell to Arms. He married Hadley Richardson in 1921, the first of four wives. They moved to Paris where he worked as a foreign correspondent for the Toronto Star and fell under the influence of the modernist writers and artists of the 1920s' "Lost Generation" expatriate community. His debut novel The Sun Also Rises was published in 1926.
He divorced Richardson in 1927 and married Pauline Pfeiffer. They divorced after he returned from the Spanish Civil War, where he had worked as a journalist and which formed the basis for his 1940 novel For Whom the Bell Tolls. Martha Gellhorn became his third wife in 1940. He and Gellhorn separated after he met Mary Welsh Hemingway in London during World War II. Hemingway was present with Allied troops as a journalist at the Normandy landings and the liberation of Paris. He maintained permanent residences in Key West, Florida, in the 1930s and in Cuba in the 1940s and 1950s. On a 1954 trip to Africa, he was seriously injured in two plane accidents on successive days, leaving him in pain and ill health for much of the rest of his life. In 1959, he bought a house in Ketchum, Idaho, where, on July 2, 1961 (a couple weeks before his 62nd birthday), he killed himself using one of his shotguns.
Hemingway was raised in Oak Park, Illinois. After high school, he spent six months as a cub reporter for The Kansas City Star before enlisting in the Red Cross. He served as an ambulance driver on the Italian Front in World War I and was seriously wounded in 1918. His wartime experiences formed the basis for his 1929 novel A Farewell to Arms. He married Hadley Richardson in 1921, the first of four wives. They moved to Paris where he worked as a foreign correspondent for the Toronto Star and fell under the influence of the modernist writers and artists of the 1920s' "Lost Generation" expatriate community. His debut novel The Sun Also Rises was published in 1926.
He divorced Richardson in 1927 and married Pauline Pfeiffer. They divorced after he returned from the Spanish Civil War, where he had worked as a journalist and which formed the basis for his 1940 novel For Whom the Bell Tolls. Martha Gellhorn became his third wife in 1940. He and Gellhorn separated after he met Mary Welsh Hemingway in London during World War II. Hemingway was present with Allied troops as a journalist at the Normandy landings and the liberation of Paris. He maintained permanent residences in Key West, Florida, in the 1930s and in Cuba in the 1940s and 1950s. On a 1954 trip to Africa, he was seriously injured in two plane accidents on successive days, leaving him in pain and ill health for much of the rest of his life. In 1959, he bought a house in Ketchum, Idaho, where, on July 2, 1961 (a couple weeks before his 62nd birthday), he killed himself using one of his shotguns.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 2, 2009
Ernest Hemingway, a poet?! Let's just say, there's a reason Hemingway is not known for his poetry.
Take the terse, understated sentences usually propped up by the story line and framework within his books, completely remove any context, give it a vague title and voila! You have a Hemingway poem. His subjects range from football to booze, girls to war, and even a sprinkling of fishing...and vomit- there's an entire poem on it (every subject you'd expect from a man's man writer, right?).
The book is arranged chronologically from the poems of his youth (the first being 1912 when he was 13) up until 1956. There is definite development in his poetry, less forced rhymes with more cursing and taboo topics as he gets older, but that doesn't necessarily make it good. It feels more like a novelty book, kind of like when you go see a movie because your favorite musician has a cameo- it's not their ideal medium in which to work but it's cool because it's them. That said, I can't recommend this book but it may be of interest to those who really, really like Hemingway. If you do take a gander, check out #11 [There was Ike and Tony and Jacque and me...:] and #69 Sequel. Those were some that I enjoyed.
Take the terse, understated sentences usually propped up by the story line and framework within his books, completely remove any context, give it a vague title and voila! You have a Hemingway poem. His subjects range from football to booze, girls to war, and even a sprinkling of fishing...and vomit- there's an entire poem on it (every subject you'd expect from a man's man writer, right?).
The book is arranged chronologically from the poems of his youth (the first being 1912 when he was 13) up until 1956. There is definite development in his poetry, less forced rhymes with more cursing and taboo topics as he gets older, but that doesn't necessarily make it good. It feels more like a novelty book, kind of like when you go see a movie because your favorite musician has a cameo- it's not their ideal medium in which to work but it's cool because it's them. That said, I can't recommend this book but it may be of interest to those who really, really like Hemingway. If you do take a gander, check out #11 [There was Ike and Tony and Jacque and me...:] and #69 Sequel. Those were some that I enjoyed.
October 7, 2025
This poetry collection is for diehard Hemingway fans who would read anything he’s ever written, including scribblings on soiled scraps of paper as pictured in the illustrations; and Hemingway scholars who have to read everything he’s ever written, even used toilet paper like “The Lady Poets With Foot Notes.” These poems often demonstrate the poet’s pettiness and insecurity, sexism and misogynistic attitudes toward women, and general disgust with the human condition, along with his lack of skill as a poet. This extract from “Portrait of a Lady” is a case in point:
“Now we will say it with a small poem. A poem that will not be good. A poem that will be easy to laugh away and will not mean anything. A mean poem. A poem written by a man with a grudge. A poem written by a boy who is envious. A poem written by someone who used to come to dinner. Not a nice poem. A poem that does not mention the Sitwells. A poem that has never been in England. A small poem to hurt ones feelings. A poem in which there are no crows. A poem in which nobody dies. A small poem that does not say it about love. A poem written by someone who does not know any better. A poem that is envious. A poem that is cheap. A poem that is not worth writing. A poem that why are such poems written. A poem that is it a poem. A poem that we had better write. A poem that could be better written. A poem. A poem that states something that everybody knows. A poem that states something that people have not thought of. An insignificant poem. A poem or not.
Gertrude Stein was never crazy.
Gertrude Stein was very lazy.
Now that it is all over perhaps it made a great difference if it was something that you cared about.”
(p. 90)
That’s one way to thank your mentor who taught you how to write in your signature style: Imply Stein’s crazy; proclaim her lazy. Very classy, Hemingstein!
Hemingway’s earliest poems—such as “How Ballad Writing Affects Our Seniors,” which he wrote in high school—indicate a precocious intellect and playfulness, but whatever optimism as a person and promise as a poet that he might have possessed early on was obliterated after he went to war, which turned him into the misanthrope on display in this collection.
The volume includes an enlightening Introduction by the editor and explanatory end notes for each poem, which earn a second star, though some of the notes seem a bit obsequious in their attempts to explain away Hemingway’s vicious attacks on other poets, writers, and critics.
Favorite Poems:
“How Ballad Writing Affects Our Seniors”
“Chapter Heading”
“The Age Demanded”
“Now we will say it with a small poem. A poem that will not be good. A poem that will be easy to laugh away and will not mean anything. A mean poem. A poem written by a man with a grudge. A poem written by a boy who is envious. A poem written by someone who used to come to dinner. Not a nice poem. A poem that does not mention the Sitwells. A poem that has never been in England. A small poem to hurt ones feelings. A poem in which there are no crows. A poem in which nobody dies. A small poem that does not say it about love. A poem written by someone who does not know any better. A poem that is envious. A poem that is cheap. A poem that is not worth writing. A poem that why are such poems written. A poem that is it a poem. A poem that we had better write. A poem that could be better written. A poem. A poem that states something that everybody knows. A poem that states something that people have not thought of. An insignificant poem. A poem or not.
Gertrude Stein was never crazy.
Gertrude Stein was very lazy.
Now that it is all over perhaps it made a great difference if it was something that you cared about.”
(p. 90)
That’s one way to thank your mentor who taught you how to write in your signature style: Imply Stein’s crazy; proclaim her lazy. Very classy, Hemingstein!
Hemingway’s earliest poems—such as “How Ballad Writing Affects Our Seniors,” which he wrote in high school—indicate a precocious intellect and playfulness, but whatever optimism as a person and promise as a poet that he might have possessed early on was obliterated after he went to war, which turned him into the misanthrope on display in this collection.
The volume includes an enlightening Introduction by the editor and explanatory end notes for each poem, which earn a second star, though some of the notes seem a bit obsequious in their attempts to explain away Hemingway’s vicious attacks on other poets, writers, and critics.
Favorite Poems:
“How Ballad Writing Affects Our Seniors”
“Chapter Heading”
“The Age Demanded”
April 20, 2024
✑ RICETTA
“88 poesie”
(Ernest Hemingway)
✎ Ingredienti: Poesia
☉ Tempo di cottura: 2 ore
✓ Difficoltà: ★☆☆☆
€ Costo: ◆◆◇◇
▹ PREPARAZIONE:
Mini 𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙚 dal 1912 al 1956, che ci permettono di approfondire il lavoro dello 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙛 da un punto di vista diverso: ironico, pungente, talvolta dissacrante e perfino un po’ 𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞, strappandoci addirittura qualche sorriso più di una volta durante l’𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙜𝙜𝙞𝙤.
Ognuna di queste raccontano pezzi di vita e di quotidianità, affrontando vari temi. Alcune saranno brevissime, altre lunghissime (ammetto, quattro o cinque le ho saltate…), altre ancora ci parranno prive di 𝙨𝙖𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙚.
⇨ CONCLUSIONI:
Consiglio questo ricco 𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙪’ per, come già detto, conoscere Hemingway da un punto di vista nuovo, di certo particolare. Attenzione: quanto 𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙜𝙜𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙤 potrebbe non piacerci, soprattutto se non si ama il genere di 𝙘𝙞𝙗𝙤 proposto, ma non dobbiamo far sì che questo condizioni il giustizio su tutta la sua 𝙘𝙪𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙖 perché stiamo parlando di qualcosa molto distante dai suoi 𝙥𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙞 di punta.
✎ E voi avete 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙤 questo 𝙥𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙤? Fatemi sapere cosa ne pensate nei commenti!
🅖 Aggiungimi su Goodreads e restiamo in contatto!
☑ Segui su 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 il mio blog @𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗱𝗶𝙡𝙞𝙗𝙧𝙞
𝘸𝘸𝘸.𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘪.𝘪𝘵
“88 poesie”
(Ernest Hemingway)
✎ Ingredienti: Poesia
☉ Tempo di cottura: 2 ore
✓ Difficoltà: ★☆☆☆
€ Costo: ◆◆◇◇
▹ PREPARAZIONE:
Mini 𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙚 dal 1912 al 1956, che ci permettono di approfondire il lavoro dello 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙛 da un punto di vista diverso: ironico, pungente, talvolta dissacrante e perfino un po’ 𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞, strappandoci addirittura qualche sorriso più di una volta durante l’𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙜𝙜𝙞𝙤.
Ognuna di queste raccontano pezzi di vita e di quotidianità, affrontando vari temi. Alcune saranno brevissime, altre lunghissime (ammetto, quattro o cinque le ho saltate…), altre ancora ci parranno prive di 𝙨𝙖𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙚.
⇨ CONCLUSIONI:
Consiglio questo ricco 𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙪’ per, come già detto, conoscere Hemingway da un punto di vista nuovo, di certo particolare. Attenzione: quanto 𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙜𝙜𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙤 potrebbe non piacerci, soprattutto se non si ama il genere di 𝙘𝙞𝙗𝙤 proposto, ma non dobbiamo far sì che questo condizioni il giustizio su tutta la sua 𝙘𝙪𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙖 perché stiamo parlando di qualcosa molto distante dai suoi 𝙥𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙞 di punta.
✎ E voi avete 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙤 questo 𝙥𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙤? Fatemi sapere cosa ne pensate nei commenti!
🅖 Aggiungimi su Goodreads e restiamo in contatto!
☑ Segui su 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 il mio blog @𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗱𝗶𝙡𝙞𝙗𝙧𝙞
𝘸𝘸𝘸.𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘪.𝘪𝘵
May 12, 2009
First Hemingway I've read. Fantastic and weird--just how I like it.
May 21, 2024
Why do I put myself through this? I decided to give Hemingway another chance after reading the Sun Also Rises which I did not like. I thought poetry would be easy and I'd been wanting to get into poetry. The first parts of the collection were enjoyable. There were pretty lines and funny poems, but it lost its charm as it went on.
July 7, 2023
"Quando sentivi strimpellare un banjo
Sulla veranda della casa di fronte,
E dal parco ti giungeva il profumo dei lillà
C’era qualcosa che lottava, in te,
Che non riuscivi a mettere in parole…
Eri viva poesia, nel buio, là!"
Sulla veranda della casa di fronte,
E dal parco ti giungeva il profumo dei lillà
C’era qualcosa che lottava, in te,
Che non riuscivi a mettere in parole…
Eri viva poesia, nel buio, là!"
Read
October 27, 2024chiaramente c'è un motivo se Hemingway è conosciuto per la prosa
May 1, 2020
El poemario deja bastante que desear a ratos: el libro se vale más por ser una hoja de ruta de esquemas que dieron inicio a la escritura de varias de sus novelas.
Hay poemas bastante buenos que se quedarán en mi memoria, pero su cantidad es menor comparado a los que son totalmente malos. En cuanto a la técnica, los poemas suelen ser fragmentos de imágenes que llevan a un poema mal logrado en muchos de los casos, o fragmentos de imágenes que se van intercalando y llegan a puntos álgidos cuando se produce la nueva imagen y en esto último son los poemas que más se destacan.
Encontrar para sentir poemas buenos se hace a ratos una tarea agotadora, pero es interesante conocer un trozo del proceso de creación de uno de los mejores novelistas de la historia.
En conclusión, como si el contenido se rigiera en términos de la industria musical, este libro se compara más a una recopilación de demos que a un disco de larga duración con pistas acabadas.
Hay poemas bastante buenos que se quedarán en mi memoria, pero su cantidad es menor comparado a los que son totalmente malos. En cuanto a la técnica, los poemas suelen ser fragmentos de imágenes que llevan a un poema mal logrado en muchos de los casos, o fragmentos de imágenes que se van intercalando y llegan a puntos álgidos cuando se produce la nueva imagen y en esto último son los poemas que más se destacan.
Encontrar para sentir poemas buenos se hace a ratos una tarea agotadora, pero es interesante conocer un trozo del proceso de creación de uno de los mejores novelistas de la historia.
En conclusión, como si el contenido se rigiera en términos de la industria musical, este libro se compara más a una recopilación de demos que a un disco de larga duración con pistas acabadas.
September 18, 2013
As I began this book, I had no intention of giving it a three-star review. In fact, with my deep-seated Hemingway writer-crush, I figured I would love every second. That being said, this compilation does highlight some great poems by Papa H, such as Along With Youth. But the rest of the works are not very good, often small funny vignettes written for friends of his in letters or in private. Hemingway was infamous for his scholastic rigor when it came to his prose, I don't think he applied that to most of his poetry, which by and large he never meant to publish, and that shows. While worth a read, remember that Papa H has better works on the table.
August 11, 2016
El problema es que esperaba la misma fuerza de la prosa de Hemingway trasladada a su poesía, lo cual pienso no pasa; de los 88 poemas que tiene el libro, me parece que acaso 10 son rescatables y solo un par verdaderamente buenos.
Para mí el mejor poema es el 43: 'La edad lo requería'
Para mí el mejor poema es el 43: 'La edad lo requería'
June 2, 2014
What. The. Heck.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews