After Ikkyu and Other Poems

by Jim Harrison

A spirited collection of poems inspired by the Zen practice of one of America's most celebrated authors, Jim Harrison, a New York Times best-selling author. Jim Harrison's popular novels represent only part of his literary output--he has also been widely acclaimed for the renegade genius of his powerful, expressive verse, collected in several books such as Dead Man's Float (Copper Canyon Press, 2016). His ninth book of poetry, After Ikkyu is Harrison's first collection that is directly inspired by his Zen practice. The poems included here are thought-provoking and full of wisdom, intelligence, and passion--spirited in Harrison's unique writing style.

Genres: Poetry, Literature

104 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Jim Harrison was born in Grayling, Michigan, to Winfield Sprague Harrison, a county agricultural agent, and Norma Olivia (Wahlgren) Harrison, both avid readers. He married Linda King in 1959 with whom he has two daughters.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

His awards include National Academy of Arts grants (1967, 68, 69), a Guggenheim Fellowship (1969-70), the Spirit of the West Award from the Mountain & Plains Booksellers Association, and election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2007).

Much of Harrison's writing depicts sparsely populated regions of North America with many stories set in places such as Nebraska's Sand Hills, Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Montana's mountains, and along the Arizona-Mexico border.

Reviews

[Tom Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice mix of verses capturing Harrison the Poet.

Well written observations of a Man who loved the Natural World interspersed with keen insights from a Man who abhorred those who abused it.

I would have loved to spend an evening trading shots with Jim Harrison over a fine Dinner.

[Dina Rahajaharison · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Everyone knows they are not alone / as they suffer the music together / that gives them greater range / for greater suffering.'

[Rachyl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this collection quite a bit. There were a few poems I really liked and several lines that I felt especially drawn to. I really liked when he examined humans as interacting with nature and one another. He seemed interested in speaking to the human condition and connections with divinity as well, which I found interesting. I would probably describe his poetry as almost stream of consciousness (particularly for "After Ikkyu" and "Sonoran Radio"). I will definitely try looking into Harrison's poetry again in the future.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice counterpart to Letters to Yesenin, here we return to the themes of death, but the elder poet is not pursuing and avoiding it as an escape from the trials of youth and ignominy, but as an inevitability that offers an end to the endless change we find in the world. These are what the Buddhists call Cemetery meditations, Maranassati. Death is everywhere, but less singular than it was for the young man writing to a suicide about his options. This is also more in line with accepted ideas of free verse, so it scans different than the early book. It is a fascinating contrast between the two books, and you could easily enjoy them as a pair, free of the biography of the author, which tinges my reading of both.

[Patti K · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a 1996 volume of zen poems by the late Jim Harrison. I will greatly miss
reading new work by this author. There are 57 short zen poems to begin and they
are fashioned in the spirit of the ancient monk poet, Ikkyu, who was known
for his drinking and exuberant, raw look at nature and living. Some are a bit
too raw for my liking, but I mostly enjoyed them. Harrison could pretty much
do anything with language. A fun experience, again.

[Nate Fetterolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

meh. good poetry i guess. really did not do it for me. i don’t know it just did not hit. seemed like a cool guy but yea meh. kind of getting me riled up like what’s up with this whole weird poet attitude that just doesn’t hit, like it’s so pish posh posh i’m a poet blah blah. not all poets but i feel it from some people sometimes. especially when they talk about zen or some shit like okay we get it zazen zazen zazen blazen. old news! I love poetry like a lot but sometimes certain poems and poets just put me off so much when they exhume that snobby poet vibe. maybe it’s just me and i’m not reading them right or im judging too much or projecting or whatever people will say that im doing but i don’t know care! if anything it makes me want to write poetry and get good at it and get so good at it that i can show these people how you’re really supposed to write poetry! or at least how i like to write it haha. I’ll show them!!! grrrr…

i have an intuition that may be totally wrong, it’s that what many people regarded as good poetry in the past will become obsolete and old and cliché and it will require poets of the future to come up with new ways of poeticizing because so much of it feels so boring and cliché. but i guess that’s every generation.

but then again maybe i’m just in a mood because this poetry was not the greatest -_-

also no hate on this guys he’s obviously a great writer im just whining!

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

the collection does what it says it's trying to do but the Zen ones are kind of strange; many fall short of the clarity of true Zen poems but also fall short of the ecstatic images Harrison is so known for. a handful of them are still searing though!

among the others in the collection, the return to the themes from Yesenin was interesting and Harrison saw it all in a new way as he got older. as ever, still full of great lines and moments, just maybe not as essential as some of the other collections

[Joe Stack · Rating 2 out of 5]

The poems in this short collection get a mixed reaction. Some seem autobiographical and somewhat distant from the reader, some have subtle humor, some result in pensive reflection, and some grab the reader and don’t let go.

[Robert · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have been a BIG fan of Jim Harrison's novels. His death not so long ago made me sad. So, I had to read this book of his poetry that I had missed. I'm afraid I just don't get it. Either that, or these poems just don't make sense.

[Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great collection of poems. Even if I didn't enjoy the entire poem, I often found at least one gem of a line per page.

[Mert Topcu · Rating 2 out of 5]

My rating represents only my liking, nothing else. Because poetry is very personal.

[Jordyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn’t love it, wouldn’t really recommend it, but poetry is subjective.

[Mike Dennisuk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was not very impressed with this collection. The poems are strange and other worldly. I am usually a Harrison fan … not this time

[Kayleigh Pugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read these for school but honestly really enjoyed this collection. 3.75 stars!

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this selection of poetry by Jim Harrison. I think I recall having originally heard about the book on a CBC program and made a note to read it in a journal. That was in 2005 and I only recently came across that list and wondered about this book titled "After Ikkyu". What an odd title! I couldn't recall why I had wanted to read it in the first place.

I liken his writing style to that of the novelist Tom Robbins - a contradiction. It's funny and light but conversely so profound and full of meaning.

His poetry isn't 'flowery', but it's both subtle and overt, challenging but simple and philosophical yet light-hearted. It's a selection of poetry that I'd like to own and keep on my shelf to re-read.

It was not surprising that Jim is on the Buddhist path, or that this book was published by Shambhala Press.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

My two favorite things about this book: the title and the intro. Granted, I'm not huge into poetry. I do love Ikkyu's drunken Zen wisdom, and Harrison, inspired by that, begins this collection with short, haiku-esque poems which I truly enjoyed. But as the book progressed, the poems got longer and longer, and to me, more and more impenetrable. I guess I like my poetry straightforward. For example, a favorite Ikkyu poem of mine:

“don't hesitate get laid that's wisdom
sitting around chanting what crap.”

Perfect.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jim Harrison is one of my favorite poets and this older book, inspired by Zen philosophy, is surprisingly angry at times. Alive with images of nature at its most beautiful and its most base, the title poem is really a cycle of 57 short poems that constitute much of the book. Irreverent, beautiful, and big-hearted, this is classic Jim Harrison, full of wisdom and appreciation with a powerful message, i.e., pay attention.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mmmmmmm very great. Maybe the best book of poetry I've ever read, I mean my favorite, except maybe for Actual Air. Me being obviously a pretty unversed poetry reader. Lots of these force you to stop and just be like Holy S, that's an amazing thought / image / etc. Just like really great. Just like ugh.

[Rauan · Rating 2 out of 5]

amateurish

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

the only book of poetry I have to break out and read at least once a year. it won't change your whole perpective on shit, but it might come close.

[Michael Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a strangely wonderful man, and such an enormous talent... Big sky mind...

[Mills College Library]

811.54 H3197a 1996

[Staggerlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read. Currently Reading. This is one of his I carry in my bag and pick up and open randomly. Is beauty.