Procedures for Underground

by Margaret Atwood

Early Poems by Margaret Atwood

Genres: Poetry, Canada, Fiction

79 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Margaret Atwood was born in 1939 in Ottawa and grew up in northern Ontario, Quebec, and Toronto. She received her undergraduate degree from Victoria College at the University of Toronto and her master's degree from Radcliffe College.

Throughout her writing career, Margaret Atwood has received numerous awards and honourary degrees. She is the author of more than thirty-five volumes of poetry, children’s literature, fiction, and non-fiction and is perhaps best known for her novels, which include The Edible Woman (1970), The Handmaid's Tale (1983), The Robber Bride (1994), Alias Grace (1996), and The Blind Assassin, which won the prestigious Booker Prize in 2000. Atwood's dystopic novel, Oryx and Crake, was published in 2003. The Tent (mini-fictions) and Moral Disorder (short stories) both appeared in 2006. Her most recent volume of poetry, The Door, was published in 2007. Her non-fiction book, Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth ­ in the Massey series, appeared in 2008, and her most recent novel, The Year of the Flood, in the autumn of 2009. Ms. Atwood's work has been published in more than forty languages, including Farsi, Japanese, Turkish, Finnish, Korean, Icelandic and Estonian. In 2004 she co-invented the Long Pen TM.

Margaret Atwood currently lives in Toronto with writer Graeme Gibson.

Associations: Margaret Atwood was President of the Writers' Union of Canada from May 1981 to May 1982, and was President of International P.E.N., Canadian Centre (English Speaking) from 1984-1986. She and Graeme Gibson are the Joint Honourary Presidents of the Rare Bird Society within BirdLife International. Ms. Atwood is also a current Vice-President of PEN International.

Reviews

[mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just getting into poetry collections and thought I'd try this first! It was lovely written and easy enough to understand!

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of poems made me feel like I was a fly on the wall to Atwood's thoughts on exploration and about nature. The title poem describes resistance as a sort of colourful vigilance; it felt a little like a letter to one as a new spy in a brand new land: "few will seek your help with love, none without fear". There's also a common theme of dreams running throughout, including in "The Feathers of the Zodiac", "Hypotheses: City", and "Dreams of the Animals". I like the exceptions to the animal revelers, especially the armadillo. In the poem "A Morning", she talks about the feeling of familiarity with a place she comes across while unravelling a visual, kinesthetic, and even edible, landscape.

I closed this book wondering where my own attention and wonder have been buried within my own stressors, as curiosity takes one far. When I learned she was only thirty when she wrote this i was impressed and it has moved me to keep on writing.

[Kristin Runyon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this original 1970 edition at the local public library book sale for $1 and felt as if I had won the lottery. It’s Margaret Atwood poetry! This was her 4th book of poetry and was published simultaneously with her first novel. The poetry is mostly related to nature, not what I was expecting but just as enjoyable. I have only read it once, however, and have not had the time to really work through the poems to appreciate them.

[Samoyes · Rating 1 out of 5]

Earlier in the year I read Margaret Atwood’s poetry collection Dearly n just loved it. Unfortunately, this collection did not have the verve and emotion that I experienced in Dearly. These poems certainly felt like they’re from another, older time, which they are. These poems are reflective and examine the passing of time and the capture still moments often through imagery of nature, yet I did not connect with the imagery like I have her other poems. I don’t recommend this collection.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Where do words go / when we have said them?”
from “The Small Cabin”

Sealey Challenge 22/31

[charlotte c-r. · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting and vibrant

[Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

⭐️ 1.5 stars ⭐️

[Kurt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out pretty good with a few strong poems but kind of devolved into a grocery list of ideas that never made a meal.

[Sebastian · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Read: September 27, 2012
Second Read: September 12, 2024, Thursday

"This is before electricity,
it is when there were porches."

I think the best thing about Atwood as a poet is the writing seems to be without expectation, no over-exerting of the text to meet the standards of her well regarded and established reputation. There is no self-consciousness and, therefore, a greater purity in the images, raw and honest. Atwood has always played with forms and punctuation, but this collection in particular seems to experiment with line breaks and narrative to better highlight the visual, the eyes being just as a powerful an interpreter as the ear or the meaning assigning mind.

My personal favorite poems (20 out of 44), which I know, academically, many scholars would not list among the most important poems:

"Eden is a Zoo"
"Girl and Horse, 1928"
"The Small Cabin"
"Delayed Message"
"Midwinter, Presolstice"
"Interview with a Tourist"
"Procedures for Underground"
"The Creatures of the Zodiac" -- one of my two most favorite
"Stories of Kinsman Park"
"Dreams of the Animals" -- other one of my two favorites
"Spell for the Director of Protocol"
"Projected Slide of an Unknown Soldier"
"Books vs. History"
"Habitation"
"Chrysanthemums"
"Woman Skating"
"Younger Sister, Going Swimming"
"Fishing for Eel Totems"
"Buffalo in Compound: Alberta"
"Carrying Food Home in Winter"

Many of the poems begin with lackluster narrative, but Atwood ends a poem with a turn of genius often.

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, but why not round up?

This was a really lovely collection to read because it feels very late winter/early spring to me. There were a number of poems that I skipped over or skimmed, but the ones that stuck with me really stuck.

And I think all the Atwood poetry I've been reading has officially pushed her to being my most read author. Step aside, Lemony Snickett!

[Alexa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Margaret Atwood poetry collection was easier for me to connect with than some of her earlier work. There are some beautiful little gems in here. It gave me a great deal of pleasure and several ah-ha moments.

[Kayla koontz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Certain pieces in here are stunners and others I didn't feel connected to. Atwood sets a beautiful scene that will leave you daydreamy like a long car ride in the summer. My favorites were: Stories in Kinsman's Park, A Morning, A Dialogue, Eden is a Zoo, and Dancing Practice.

[Jim Stark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is dark poetry - I don't recommend it to many others. I've read all her books and love them, but Atwood's poetry should only be read in the afternoon, on a sunny day.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this collection, I was amazed at the ways Atwood's poetry has changed over the years, and how it has remained the same.

[Mariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Margaret Atwood first book. The poems get better and better. I plan to read all of her books that I can find. I can learn much from her.