Walking Backwards: Poems 1966-2016

by John Koethe

Collected poems from America’s searching and thoughtful philosopher-poet

. . . There ’ s something
Comforting about rituals renewed, even adolescents ’ pipe dreams:
They ’ ll find out soon enough, and meanwhile find their places
In the eternal scenery, less auguries or cautionary tales

Than parts of an unchanging whole, as ripe for contemplation
As a planisphere or the clouds: the vexed destinies, the shared life,
The sempiternal spectacle of someone preaching to the choir
While walking backwards in the moment on a warm spring afternoon.


John Koethe’s poems―always dynamic and in process, never static or complete―luxuriate in the questions that punctuate the most humdrum of routines, rendering a robust portrait of an individual: complicated, quotidian, and resounding with truth. Gathering for the first time his impressive and award-winning body of work, published between 1966 and 2016, Walking Backwards introduces this gifted poet to a new, wider readership.

Genres: Poetry

384 pages, Hardcover

Published November 20, 2018

About the author

John Koethe is an American poet, essayist and professor of philosophy at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Koethe is originally from San Diego, California. He was educated at Princeton University and Harvard University.Koethe's published work includes Blue Vents (Audit/Poetry, 1969), Domes (Columbia University Press, 1973), The Late Wisconsin Spring (Princeton University Press, 1984), The Continuity of Wittgenstein's Thought (Cornell University Press, 1996), Falling Water (HarperPerennial, 1997), The Constructor, (HarperFlamingo, 1999), Poetry at One Remove (University of Michigan Press, 2000) and North Point North: New and Selected Poems (HarperCollins, 2002). His most recent books include Scepticism, Knowledge, and Forms of Reasoning (Cornell University Press, 2005), Sally's Hair (HarperCollins, 2006), Ninety-fifth Street (Harper Parennial, 2009) and ROTC Kills (Harper Perennial, 2012).

Koethe has also contributed poetry and essays to publications including Poetry, Paris Review, Quarterly Review of Literature, Parnassus, and Art News.His work has been included in anthologies of poetry, including The Best American Poetry (2003).Additionally, he was selected to contribute his views on contemporary poetry for the book Ecstatic Occasions, Expedient Forms, which billed him as one of "85 leading contemporary poets."

Reviews

[The Cozy Nook · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful collection of poetry filled with nostalgia and longing. I took my time and spent five months reading through this collection. I'm so happy that I own this, and more people should read Koethe.

[Raquel]

gracias por la eterna compañía en las mañanas de acampada ¿sí llevamos el libro de poesía?

in the park for susan koethe

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful metrical verse written by a master. It's unique, not like most poetry written today--there's the strong meter, the long poems, the way it tells a story--"first this, then that"--which puts it squarely into the New York School camp. There are references to John Ashberry and Frank O'Hara in the poems, which further strengthens the connection. I admit that this kind of poetry eludes me--it's autobiographical but not emotional, it draws abstract conclusions about the human condition but I don't feel a sense of identification. They fascinate me and I don't want to give them up, don't want to return the book to the library, but they slip past me. I can't help but think that if I were better educated in a more academic poetry I would be in heaven. But I can glimpse that heaven. I love it. Just for the fun of working toward them. Even though the voice is muted, perhaps the poet is depressed. I don't know, but the poems draw me to them anyway. I guess I want to unite with the mind that created them--want to be able to see from that high tower. And the only way forward is to read on.

[Mauberley]

Easily the most enjoyable book of poetry that I have read this year. I loved spending time with these poems. It was like watching a caterpillar become a butterfly in time-lapse photography to follow Koethe’s emergence from his ‘Ashbery cocoon’ to become a fine poet in his own right. Wonderful.

[Mark Nenadov]

Well-composed Metrical poetry. It tends towards personal story telling and philosophical musings.

[Tim Genetti · Rating 4 out of 5]

16A: is the best poem of this book. He wasn’t ready for a vacation

[Andrew Pitkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Calm, reflective words about life experiences.