Poems in the Manner Of

by David Lehman

Poems in the Manner Of is an illuminating journey through centuries of writers who continue to influence new work today, including that of respected poet and series editor of The Best American Poetry David Lehman.

“Very few writers can actually shape how you see the world. David Lehman is such a writer,” says Robert Olen Butler. Now the Best American Poetry series editor and New School writing professor channels, translates, and imagines a collection of “poems in the manner of” Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Shakespeare, W.B. Yeats, Rilke, William Carlos Williams, and more.

Lehman has been writing “poems in the manner of” for years, in homage to the poems and people that have left an impression, experimenting with styles and voices that have lingered in his mind. Finally, he has gathered these pieces, creating a striking book of poems that channels poets from Walt Whitman to Sylvia Plath and also calls upon jazz standards, Freudian questionnaires, and astrological profiles for inspiration.

Intelligent and sparkling, this is a great gift for poetry fans and a useful resource for creative writers. These are poems of wit and humor but also deep emotion and clear intelligence, informed by Lehman’s genuine and knowledgeable love of poetry and literature. From Catullus and Lady Murasaki to Wordsworth, Neruda, Virginia Woolf, W.H. Auden, and Charles Bukowski, Poems in the Manner Of shows how much life there is in poets of the past. And like Edward Hirsch’s How to Read a Poem and Robert Pinsky’s Singing School , this book gives you more than poetry. Whether you’re reading for pure enjoyment or examining how a poet can use references and influences in their own work, Poems in the Manner Of is a treasure trove of literary pleasures and food for thought.

Genres: Poetry

160 pages, Paperback

First published March 7, 2017

About the author

David Lehman is a poet and the series editor for The Best American Poetry series. He teaches at The New School in New York City.

Reviews

[Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Poems in the Manner Of' by David Lehman

5 stars/ 10 out of 10

I have always read a lot of poetry, and have read some previous books edited by David Lehman.

I was intrigued by the concept behind this volume. In it, Lehman includes more than 70 poems that he has written in the style of, or relating to, the writing of other poets, from Catallus onwards. The poems are arranged by the chronology of the authors Lehman is paying homage to.

I did not know the work of all of the authors, but I knew the majority of them.

The main impression that I gained from this book, is how much fun Lehman had had writing these poems. They were certainly enjoyable to read. Lehman preceded each poem with a short paragraph, setting it into context.

'Hamlet, Interpreted' and 'Poem in the Manner of Emily Dickinson' made me laugh out loud. Other poems I especially enjoyed include 'Poem in the Manner of William Wordsworth', 'Freud Quiz', 'Poem in the Manner of William Butler Yeats' (brilliant!), and 'Poem in the Manner of Wallace Stevens'. I thought the best poem of all was 'Poem in the Manner of Jorge Luis Borges'.

Poets I will now follow up, having read David Lehman's book, include Friedrich Hölderlin, Edna St Vincent Millay, and Robert Lowell. I would like to thank the author for introducing me to these poets.

Thank you to Scribner and to NetGalley for an ARC.

[⊱ Poppy ⊰]

I'm really liking the sound of it. Can't wait to read it, as soon as my tbr pile give me a rest.

[deniz eilmore · Rating 1 out of 5]

i bought it a while ago and only now got around to it. interesting concept, weird execution. not for me

[Nancy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book because I have great respect for the author, and because I wanted to try this out with the 9th graders I'll be writing with. But the poems linger too long in mockery (and I am already tired of that flavor when it comes to 9th graders). I love that Lehman loves these writers enough to wear their voices, but alas the results do not fly for me.

[Joseph Spuckler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poems in the Manner Of by David Lehman is a tribute collection of poetry. In 1994, Lehman succeeded Donald Hall as the general editor of the University of Michigan Press’s Poets on Poetry series, a position he held for twelve years. In 1997, he teamed with Star Black in creating and directing the famed KGB Bar Monday night poetry series in New York City’s East Village. He has taught in the graduate writing program of the New School in New York City since the program’s inception in 1996 and has served as poetry coordinator since 2003. He has edited The Best American Poetry Series since 1988.

I have become familiar with Lehman a few years ago and The Best of American Poetry Series. I look forward to this collection every year. I reviewed his New and Selected Poems in 2013. I enjoyed his writing and his edited works. This work is a bit different and some of it a bit out of my league. I have read some of the classical poets as well as some newcomers. Lehman has a far greater breadth of poets than I do and that lead me scrambling to look up some of the poets Lehman was paying tribute to. It was a learning experience for me and a welcomed one at that. I am still trying to fit the Freud multiple choice section and the Astrological charts. I did get the part of Hamlet on the Harvard fencing team and being foiled and the “Don’t fence me in”. I am sure there was more humor that I was just missing.

The poets I am familiar with were well done. Frost avoiding the path less traveled by just cutting through the pathless forest and the tribute to Gertrude Stein captured that same feeling of being over my head when I first read Tender Buttons. Some poems stuck with me through the collection like the "Poem in the Prophetic Manner" Lehman says was inspired by Bob Dylan’s "Highway 61" revisited. The poem, however, reads in the same rhythm as "Desolation Row" and ended with a "Chimes of Freedom" touch. A few poems later in "Poem in the Manner of the 1960s" a line read:

They are naked and the moon is yellow.

I could help thinking the that the moon isn’t yellow; it’s chicken. I suspect Lehman triggered the Bob Dylan part of my brain.


Tributes to Tennyson, William Carlos Williams, Byron, and Keats are unmistakable in style and theme. Non-poets are included too. Tributes to Hemingway, Woolf, Marilyn Monroe, Jazz music, and even mundane punctuation (which may include a nod to Woolf) are well done. As for the poets I did not know or know well, I learned a great deal and gained a new appreciation. A very worthwhile collection that allows the reader to branch out and has allowed the poet to show how other poets influence his work.

[Michelle Kidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poems in the Manner Of
by David Lehman
Scribner

Poetry

Pub Date 07 Mar 2017

I am voluntarily reviewing a copy of Poems In the Manner of through the publisher and netgalley:

Poems in the Manner of is a tribute to poets throughout the centuries, from Emily Dickinson to Walt Whitman to Sylvia Plath.

If you are a fan of Walt Whitman, Shakespeare, Robert Frost or Hemingway I believe you will find Poems in the Manner of, a great read.

Five out of five stars

Happy Reading.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this collection in a bookstore, searching for a book of poems to critically review for a uni assessment. I had no idea who this author was, and had read precious little poetry beforehand.

This collection is a fantastic lesson on poetry style, structure and the art of poetry. It's homages to the greats are preceded by notes on how the author came to choose his styles and topics which is a valuable insight into his process.

I'm so glad I found this book, I think it's brilliant.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best of both worlds

I enjoyed 99.9% of the poems. The complex balance between simplistic and complicated writing styles were very intriguing. I fell in love with the poems written in the manner of W.H Auden and I bought several of his books because of them 💜💜

[Sabrina · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. interesting concept but didn't enjoy it

[Daniel Klawitter · Rating 3 out of 5]

"An art critic from Australia asked me if there is a Kafka Street in New York City. Yes, I answered, 'but you can't tell where it is.'"

[Aliff Awan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Macam membaca ceramah, tapi ia okay-okay saja.

[Nicole Bannister]

It was just okay. Not my favorite poem book. I love poems it just that this particular book was not my favorite some of the poems were good and some were not my favorite.i can usually get in to poems right away this one took a bit to get into

[Natille · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book free through NetGalley for an unbiased review.
I enjoyed this book and the homages the author paid tribute to throughout the works. Some of the authors I was well aware of but some I wasn't and this is where I thank the author for broadening my mind. I had to of course look up some of the work the author was influenced by, so, that I could better understand what I was reading and fully grasp the style. I found it to be delightful and ingenious. There are, of course, a few that really drew my attention and had me later going back to read again. Some that made me laugh by the sheer ridiculousness of it and how spot on it was. I will not pull quotes from the work because I find it to be cheating but I will say that this is a enjoyable read that will make you ponder, reflect, laugh, or find yourself in discord between conflicting emotions. I really feel that this work allowed me to expand my horizons with poetry and find new authors to dig into and ponder on later. I feel the best thing about reading is learning something new and this definitely did that.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book of SUCH creativity I really commend the author, this is an art form - make no mistake. A really good companion for any English Literature student or somebody interested in the varying literary styles of influential writers, contemporary and traditional.

My favourites & some selections of poets or writers or characters impersonated are... Iago (from Othello... my favourite villain ever), William Wordsworth and Walt Whitman - it's really helpful to know now I can go and look up some poems & perhaps add an anthology or two to my birthday list!

*Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing me with a copy of this in return for an honest review*

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poems in the Manner Of by David Lehman is an interesting take on the art of poetry. Instead of working solely with original works without explanation, the reader gets the author's insight and influences on each piece for the book.

Many of the poems featured were in the manner of or inspired by poets across the history of poetry. Some of the more recognizable influences included Emily Dickinson, Sylvia Plath, Walt Whitman, Robert Frost and more. There were no poems that particularly stood out as better than rest, and in some cases lifting of another poet's line to include in the new work did more to distract than anything else. The explanations were a good insight as to how or why each poet was influential on the author's work.

*Book provided by NetGalley

[Ahk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever