Doctor Jazz

by Hayden Carruth

Hayden Carruth is a major literary figure and no survey of American poetry is complete without inclusion of his work. In this newest book of poems—the first since his 1996 National Book Award—Carruth confronts the threadbare memories of old age and the fading winter view. From the bleakest circumstances—the death of his daughter, physical and mental pain, poverty—Carruth defiantly reclaims dignity and beauty. His poetry is at once classical and modern. With the spit and bop of a great jazzman playing all the right notes, Carruth lives his music, finding the perfect low tones of terrible loss, the highs of family and friendship. Yet he is also the wise old sage of classical Greece, warning, riddling, giving generous counsel and insight. "At Rereading an Old Book" My prayers have been answered, if they were prayers. I live.
I'm alive, and even in rather good health, I believe.
If I'd quit smoking I might live to be a hundred.
Truly this is astonishing, after the poverty and pain,
The suffering. Who would have thought that petty
Endurance could achieve so much?
And prayers—
Were they prayers? Always I was adamant
In my irreligion, and had good reason to be.
Yet prayer is not, I see in old age now,
A matter of doctrine or discipline, but rather
A movement of the natural human mind
Bereft of its place among the animals, the other
Animals. I prayed. Then on paper I wrote
Some of the words I said, which are these poems. Hayden Carruth has won nearly every major award in poetry, including the National Book Award and the National Book Critic's circle Award. He is the author of 24 previous books of poetry and prose. He lives in Munnsville, NY.

Genres: Poetry

148 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2001

About the author

Hayden Carruth was an American poet, literary critic, and anthologist known for his distinctive voice, blending formal precision with the rhythms of jazz and the blues. Over a career spanning more than sixty years, he published over thirty books of poetry, as well as essays, literary criticism, and anthologies. His work often explored themes of rural life, hardship, mental illness, and social justice, reflecting both his personal struggles and his political convictions.
Born in Waterbury, Connecticut, Carruth studied at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and later earned an M.A. from the University of Chicago. His early career included serving as editor-in-chief of Poetry and as an advisory editor of The Hudson Review for two decades. He later became poetry editor at Harper’s Magazine and held teaching positions at Johnson State College, the University of Vermont, and Syracuse University, where he influenced a new generation of poets.
Carruth received numerous awards, including the National Book Critics Circle Award for Collected Shorter Poems (1992) and the National Book Award for Scrambled Eggs and Whiskey (1996). His later works, such as Doctor Jazz and Last Poems, further cemented his reputation as a major voice in American poetry. His influential anthology The Voice That Is Great Within Us remains a landmark collection of American verse.

Reviews

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic poet working at his pinnacle. Carruth plays melodies with the words and adds a twist to everyday life with the distinguished aire of an aged, snarky cynic. This is the greatest modern poet and perhaps his finest work. Not to be skipped is his long poem titled "Dearest M-" which addresses the day following his daughter's death - powerful and mesmerizing.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't decided how I feel about Carruth's poetry. He's very frank and plainspoken--crude at times, in ways that are very jarring and uncomfortable. But he can also be hilarious and poignant in turns. This collection was a bit of a mixed bag--there were many poems that I didn't care for, or was unmoved by, but I loved his series of "Faxes to William". (They are best read aloud, in a group of people who share a sense of humor and are inclined to be pleased.)

If the library had this collection, I would have been content to return it, without feeling the need to have it on my shelf. But I am not upset to own it.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Hayden Carruth's poetry and this book is a strong collection of some of his best later work.

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A potpourri of lyrical and, for the most part, autobiographical poems that shed light on the author’s life and feelings.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book which has a beautiful long poem dedicated to his daughter Martha who had battled cancer and died. A collection of his poems from 1996 to 2000 that were written since the release of his 'Scrambled Eggs & Whiskey Poetry book in 1996.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here's were voice becomes voice -- you have to watch the precision to avoid the simplicity as seeming simplistic. A life of a Jazzmen and Hayden's are two superimposed ways of improvising with fluidity in the crankshop of the world.

[Kam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great section about his daughter's sickness and death. He poured his feelings out in everything he wrote.