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Selected Poems
"Wherever there are hot spots that journalists blow up on the front page — strikes, massacres, revolutions, tortures, wars, prisoners and marches — there is Rukeyser, in the very front line, a spokesperson, or spokespoet perhaps, speaking up loudly for freedom in the world." - Jascha Kessler
Muriel Rukeyser (1913-80) published her first book, the powerfully experimental "Theory of Flight," at age twenty-two, and went on to an adventurous and prolific career as poet, translator, and political activist. Her expansive energies sought a poetry in which politics, geography, sexuality, mythology, and autobiography could find fused and fluid expression. From her early, brilliantly cinematic "Poem Out of Childhood" through excerpts from her long wartime "Letter to the Front" to her late "Resurrection of the Right Side," written after her stroke, this selection represents the many sides and selves of a major poet.
Muriel Rukeyser (1913-80) published her first book, the powerfully experimental "Theory of Flight," at age twenty-two, and went on to an adventurous and prolific career as poet, translator, and political activist. Her expansive energies sought a poetry in which politics, geography, sexuality, mythology, and autobiography could find fused and fluid expression. From her early, brilliantly cinematic "Poem Out of Childhood" through excerpts from her long wartime "Letter to the Front" to her late "Resurrection of the Right Side," written after her stroke, this selection represents the many sides and selves of a major poet.
- GenresPoetry
230 pages, Hardcover
First published March 30, 2004
1 person is currently reading
144 people want to read
About the author
Muriel Rukeyser
92 books156 followersMuriel Rukeyser was an American poet and political activist, best known for her poems about equality, feminism, social justice, and Judaism. Kenneth Rexroth said that she was the greatest poet of her "exact generation".
One of her most powerful pieces was a group of poems entitled The Book of the Dead (1938), documenting the details of the Hawk's Nest incident, an industrial disaster in which hundreds of miners died of silicosis.
Her poem "To be a Jew in the Twentieth Century" (1944), on the theme of Judaism as a gift, was adopted by the American Reform and Reconstructionist movements for their prayer books, something Rukeyser said "astonished" her, as she had remained distant from Judaism throughout her early life.
One of her most powerful pieces was a group of poems entitled The Book of the Dead (1938), documenting the details of the Hawk's Nest incident, an industrial disaster in which hundreds of miners died of silicosis.
Her poem "To be a Jew in the Twentieth Century" (1944), on the theme of Judaism as a gift, was adopted by the American Reform and Reconstructionist movements for their prayer books, something Rukeyser said "astonished" her, as she had remained distant from Judaism throughout her early life.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 24, 2021
I feel remorseful giving this book 1-star as I understand the cultural and artistic importance of the author. Yet, my experience was decoupled. Reading was akin to putting my prefrontal cortex against a cheese grater, and the bits that managed to squeeze through to the other side lacked any sort of understanding.
December 27, 2007
muriel rukeyser just might save lyric poetry for me. i've been so averse to the easy line, any kind of coherent syntax or description that leaves nothing to the reader to play with on a linguistic level. however, rukeyser is drawing me back towards the lyric with images that actually take off from the imaginary and land in metaphor. her language is also concise on a level that demonstrates an ear tuned to the war machine's sounds in the 20th century. of course it is her ability to fuse the personal with the political that is the most inspiring and heartbreaking.
this edition has an introduction by adrienne rich that gives a great bio and places her pretty well in the scope of 20th century poets. the book is divided into selections from the books of poetry that she published (she also wrote biographies, articles and plays).
this edition has an introduction by adrienne rich that gives a great bio and places her pretty well in the scope of 20th century poets. the book is divided into selections from the books of poetry that she published (she also wrote biographies, articles and plays).
March 30, 2024
Angry Authoritarian poems from the Left.
I really don’t mind the politics of Rukeyser, her feminism, her communism, her lesbianism etc., but her early poems are too acerbic to be either enjoyable or persuasive. Regrettably, of the poems selected for this volume, by Adrienne Rich, more than half of them were written before the poet was 27. Muriel Rukeyser, who lived until she was 67, got better as a poet. She got wiser and more experienced with the world too. Thus, it is a shame so many of the poems in this book are from her sophomoric early twenties.
I do not care for her mixture of mysticism and science. Yeats meets Einstein is a combo that nauseates.
There are certainly poems here I like and Rukeyser poems not in this anthology I like as well, but over all her work describes the world by fiat and declamation. The reader is abused by one authoritative declaration after another. I prefer poetry of a less convinced, less adamant, less angry tone.
(The physical book by-the-way is beautifully designed. It is a pleasure to look at and hold. It is printed on smooth cream paper not the newsprint paper that is increasingly common.)
I really don’t mind the politics of Rukeyser, her feminism, her communism, her lesbianism etc., but her early poems are too acerbic to be either enjoyable or persuasive. Regrettably, of the poems selected for this volume, by Adrienne Rich, more than half of them were written before the poet was 27. Muriel Rukeyser, who lived until she was 67, got better as a poet. She got wiser and more experienced with the world too. Thus, it is a shame so many of the poems in this book are from her sophomoric early twenties.
I do not care for her mixture of mysticism and science. Yeats meets Einstein is a combo that nauseates.
There are certainly poems here I like and Rukeyser poems not in this anthology I like as well, but over all her work describes the world by fiat and declamation. The reader is abused by one authoritative declaration after another. I prefer poetry of a less convinced, less adamant, less angry tone.
(The physical book by-the-way is beautifully designed. It is a pleasure to look at and hold. It is printed on smooth cream paper not the newsprint paper that is increasingly common.)
Read
July 27, 2022Until recently I generally dipped into my poetry books at random and read a few pages at a sitting. I might in this haphazard manner read a complete volume. There was no plan & this would generally only with my most beloved poets. A few years ago, I began to read complete volumes. It points your attention to themes running through a volume of poems. With "Collected" or "Selected" Works, reading the complete volumes allows one to follow the arc of the poet's interests & craft. To me, Muriel Rukeyser's voice grew clearer and stronger as her life progressed. Her last poems have an urgency that has built to a crescendo.
May 19, 2017
If you have the good fortune to encounter this title, make certain to read at least two: (from U.S.1) from The Book of the Dead AND (from Beast in View) from Letter to the Front: VII. "To be a Jew in the twentieth century..."
April 16, 2019
The earliest stuff hit me like a hammer. Stunning and breathless.
August 21, 2021
Really good introduction to Rukeyser BUT I can tell I will need to read The Collected Poems as well, as so much is, of course, left out. Interesting introduction by Adrienne Rich!
Read
September 26, 2008Muriel Rukeyser: Selected Poems - Muriel Rukeyser
Thank you Sarah, for turning me on to Rukeyser!
She's experimental, she's real, she's eloquent, she has heart. I had loved reading Adrienne Rich before; if you enjoy reading Rich you will enjoy Rukeyser. This collection edited by Rich seems a good place to begin.
This was put together by the American Poets Project, which also did a great collection by Kenneth Fearing. (More on Fearing later.) Fearing is experimental too, but don't misunderstand, they're experimental in that they break to new form, but they both write poetry that is approachable and real. Definitely recommended.
Thank you Sarah, for turning me on to Rukeyser!
She's experimental, she's real, she's eloquent, she has heart. I had loved reading Adrienne Rich before; if you enjoy reading Rich you will enjoy Rukeyser. This collection edited by Rich seems a good place to begin.
This was put together by the American Poets Project, which also did a great collection by Kenneth Fearing. (More on Fearing later.) Fearing is experimental too, but don't misunderstand, they're experimental in that they break to new form, but they both write poetry that is approachable and real. Definitely recommended.
May 12, 2014
don't normally read a lot of poetry, but someone in my writers group lent me this, and it looks good..
..mind you, the cover's different - mine has a striking photo of the poet, but it is edited by Adrienne Rich, so I'm assuming it's the same book.
Starts well:
Breathe-in experience, breathe out poetry :
Not Angles, angels
..a terrific, strong blast from across the Atlantic. I liked it so much I didn't want to give it back, and will now have to buy to have on my shelves permanently.
..mind you, the cover's different - mine has a striking photo of the poet, but it is edited by Adrienne Rich, so I'm assuming it's the same book.
Starts well:
Breathe-in experience, breathe out poetry :
Not Angles, angels
..a terrific, strong blast from across the Atlantic. I liked it so much I didn't want to give it back, and will now have to buy to have on my shelves permanently.
August 7, 2008
Her life story was incredible and so are her poems. This was my introduction to Rukeyser and looking forward to reading more of her work. She transcends the continuum of time and speaks to a new generation of readers.
May 20, 2012
This is the essential work of this great American poet. Haven't read her outside the few selections I sometimes teach, and it was so much fun to spend 166 pages with her finest poems. Rich did a wonderful job selecting these poems.
February 6, 2007
I don't think this is her best work. I'd search for the volume that has King's Mountain in it. That's a beautiful poem.
February 24, 2008
Interesting. Ahead of its time. Not entirely compelling, though. In general, however, I don't like compilations and this is sort of the worst kind - a few poems from every part of her career.
July 21, 2007
Too expensive
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January 24, 2019Notes:
Poem as journalism - mine worker stories etc from Book of the dead (early work)
“and God reduced to a hostage among hostages” 103 from Letter to the Front
“What would happen if one woman told the truth about
her life?
The world would split open”
143 from Kathe Kollowitz
Also
“God said, “Let meanings move,” and there was poetry. 114. From The Sixth Night
Poem as journalism - mine worker stories etc from Book of the dead (early work)
“and God reduced to a hostage among hostages” 103 from Letter to the Front
“What would happen if one woman told the truth about
her life?
The world would split open”
143 from Kathe Kollowitz
Also
“God said, “Let meanings move,” and there was poetry. 114. From The Sixth Night
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews