Collected Shorter Poems, 1946-1991

by Hayden Carruth

Lyric, erotic, and meditative, this collection stands as a monument to the technical virtuosity of one of the major poets of our time. "Rarely do poets earn the unqualified admiration of both their academic and experimental peers, but Carruth--through his artistic versatility and critical ecumenism--has been doing just that for half a century."--Library Journal

Genres: Poetry

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

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

[Dan]

Wonderful collection of his 'Shorter Poems' from 1946 - 1991. It was also the National Book Critics Circle Award Winner in 1992.

[James]

Hayden Carruth lived and breathed poetry. He wrote in many styles and this huge collection captures many of them. He is probably most effective and brilliant when he captures the voices of his native Northeasterners - New English and upstate New York. But he also writes brilliantly and passionately about music, particularly jazz and blues. This book would serve as an excellent starting point for anyone who wants to get to know this amazing poet. Highly recommended.

[Cooper Renner]

Did I read all the poems? No. The first quarter or third, I suppose, then skipping through. Unless a poet is as disciplined as Donald Justice or Richard Wilbur (and generally even then) or as madcap and individual as Stevie Smith, a collected poems collection is always too much. Carruth wrote some fine stuff, but he also published far too much.

[Rusty]

Excellent career-spanning collection, best handled in chunks of 40 or so pages.

[Spence]

Carruth is one of the great unknown American poets of the Twentieth Century. His style is one of eastern vernacular and the new formalists. Carruth is a must read for lovers of the common man, but not necessarily the unwashed, drunken masses, a la Bukowski.

[Mike]

Knock off that hincty blowing, you Megarians -

[Charisse]

I love Carruths poems - The New England dialect in his voice is tremendous!!

[Dan Hall]

Just sort of dabble around it every once in a while.

[William]

Read it before the bird cover appeared ... still a crack open and read revelation collection for me.

[Randy Cauthen]

If you're interested in American poetry at all, read this.

[Mills College Library]

811.54 C3198c 1992