Lunch Poems

by Frank O’ Hara

Essential poems by the late New York poet.Lunch Poems, first published in 1964 by City Lights Books as number nineteen in the Pocket Poets series, is widely considered to be Frank O'Hara's freshest and most accomplished collection of poetry.Edited by the poet in collaboration with Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Donald Allen, who had published O'Hara's poems in his monumental The New American Poetry in 1960, it contains some of the poet's best known works including "The Day Lady Died," "Ave Maria," and "Poem" [Lana Turner has collapsed!]. These are the compelling and formally inventive poems—casually composed, for example, in his office at The Museum of Modern Art, in the street at lunchtime or on the Staten Island Ferry en route to a poetry reading—that made O'Hara a dynamic leader of the "New York School" of poets."O'Hara speaks directly across the decades to our hopes and fears and especially our delights; his lines are as intimate as a telephone call. Few books of his era show less age."—Dwight Garner, New York Times"As collections go, none brings . . . quality to the fore more than the thirty-seven Lunch Poems, published in 1964 by City Lights."—Nicole Rudick, The Paris Review"What O'Hara is getting at is a sense of the evanescence, and the power, of great art, that inextricable contradiction — that what makes it moving and transcendent is precisely our knowledge that it will pass away. This is the ethos at the center of Lunch not the informal or the conversational for their own sake but rather in the service of something more intentional, more connective, more engaged." —David L. Ulin, Los Angeles TImes"The collection broadcasts snark, exuberance, lonely earnestness, and minute-by-minute autobiography to a wide, vague audience—much like today's Twitter and Facebook feeds."—Micah Mattix, The Atlantic

Genres: Poetry

48 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 11, 2023

Reviews

[Calla Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frank O’Hara was one of the first poets I really fell in love with when I was a teenager. The first poem I ever heard from him begins “Light… clarity… avocado salad in the morning,” and I am always stumbling upon more and more words from him that make me feel light and clarity!!!

This is regrettably the first time I’ve ever read Lunch Poems all the way through. From one of many “Poem” poems therein: “and I’ll be happy here and happy there, full of tea and tears. I don’t suppose I’ll ever get to Italy, but I have the terrible tundra at least.”

[Austin LaVigne · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you can, read these poems in their natural habitat. Take it with you to get food, while waiting for the bus, or enjoying a moment of free time in an otherwise busy day. I read most of these poems while riding the Metro home from work, drained by a day of serving, bartending, and setting up event spaces. Reading O'Hara's work while dead tired and lucky I caught one of last trains made this collection so special.

[- · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved certain poems but somehow not impressed

[Zoe Thorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

ahhhhhh <3

[Grace · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can’t stand him. I actually have no idea why this is considered valuable or important poetry. I can often appreciate the significance of poems I don’t personally enjoy but to be honest I legitimately can’t figure out what redeeming quality has endeared this guy’s work to the literary world.

[Shannon Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars obviously. He’s perfect and hilarious and I love him.

[Miranda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The poems I love in this collection are a 5/5, and the ones I don’t love are difficult to get through.

[Nadia Love · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t read a lot of poetry but really enjoyed this short collection. My favorites were: Music, Poem (pg 19), How to get there, Ave Maria, and Mary Desti’s ass.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

God I love Frank…never know what he’s talking about but it sounds so good

[Lucas Sibona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es un muy buen poemario, pero me pierdo entre las decenas o cientos de referencias a una ciudad y una época que me son completamente ajenas: Nueva York en los 50-60.
No conozco las calles, no me suenan los restaurantes y la mitad de los famosos mencionados no son más que un eco para mí; un nombre que reconozco, quizá una silueta; nada más.
Pienso en A partir de Manhattan de Lihn y con eso sí puedo conectar: con un chileno que recorre las mismas calles 30 años después y que se sigue sintiendo atrapado en el horroroso Chile.
La poesía con referencias tan claras parece tener fecha de vencimiento.
Aún así el uso de las palabras es espectacular. Cuando se lee en voz alta no dan ganas de parar. Hay una cadencia perfecta.

Mis poemas favoritos fueron: A step away from them, Ave Maria, St. Paul and all that y Yesterday down at the canal.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

While it is nice to have the "Pocket Poets" format in hand from City Lights, if possible buy the U of CA "Collected Poems" that comes with 50 pp of Notes.
These poems are highly personal, and the Notes explain to the current reader who is who, locations, events, and personalities (O'Hara was extremely outgoing and knew just about everyone who mattered in NYC at the time - about 1950-1964).
The later poems are more accessible, and at times a bit more humorous as well.
Not an easy book to read, get into, or understand, as his references are so personal (and dated in some instances). And his style of writing borders on stream of consciousness.
An important work of 20th C American poetry, I think I last read it in the '70's! While he knew Ginsburg and the other Beats, O'Hara is considered the prime example of the New York School of poetry.

[Finn · Rating 4 out of 5]

“oh god its wonderful / to get out of bed / and drink too much coffee / and smoke too many cigarettes/ and love you so much”

In all honesty I bought this collection because O’Hara wrote the poem Mayakovsky, which was the object of my obsession a few years ago. I even memorized it at one point. Though that poem was not in this collection, I still enjoyed myself greatly.

The real delight of this particular edition (I read the 50th anniversary expanded) was the backmatter. All of the scans of letters and train tickets and scraps of life were so incredible to look at.

I deeply admire the way O’hara paints pictures of the mundane, and laces them with the profound. All of these poems captured a special stillness in them, and I could see them clearly as I read. He truly was so skilled.

Favorites of mine were Cornkid, Alma, St. Paul and All That, and The Day Lady Died.

[Lawrence Hall · Rating 2 out of 5]

My bias is that City Lights Books does not publish serious literature, only transient beatnik / hippie pretence and free verse prosetry padded with obscure in-crowd allusions. However, Lunch Poems is mildly interesting, and Frank O'Hara appears to be an artist, not a howler. "I saw the best minds of my generation" grow up, work at their several arts, and contribute to healing the world. Frank O'Hara seems to have been one of the best of his generation.

[Rowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frank o Hara confirms that I am a new York school apostle through and through

[Bruce Cashbaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful insights. Read 20 minutes a day, two or three (or a single one) at a time.