John Ashbery Dies Aged 90

Hello Gentle Reader,

When discussing contemporary American poetry there can be no denying the postmodern giant: John Ashbery. Ashbery came to the attention of the American poetry scene with his seventh collection of poems: “Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror,” – which would go on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, the National Book Award, and the National Book Critics Circle Award; and has been hailed as a masterpiece of twentieth century American poetry. From the beginning of his career onwards, John Ashbery was noted for its avant-garde leanings, his uncompromising poetic forms, and his disjointed syntax. Despite being acclaimed and lauded as a great American poet, whose influence from the last half of the twentieth century into the early twenty-first century; criticism was also quick to be fired. His poems are noted for their flexible shifts in tone, from modernist orations and ruminations, to the mundane daily chatter of life. Yet his poems elude comprehension or understanding. Many advised to read readers to read Ashbery’s poems free of the desire to comprehend and understand, and instead treat it like music, moving with the rhythm and rhyme and sound of the words. In an interview nine years ago, Ashbery once joked, if he could define his name (Ashbery) into a verb, it would be defined: “to confuse the hell out of people.” His lack of clarity and clear mission of his poetry was the greatest bone of contention readers, poets, and critics had with Ashbery. His poetry came across as hermetic, with the lazy trope of surrealism in order to present himself as clever, without any depth lurking beneath the surface. Despite the bipolar reception which often greeted John Ashbery, he has become one of the most imitated American poets of recent memory. Many attempt to mimic his surreal cartwheeling and abstract expressionism, but none are capable of achieving the Ashbery poetic pinnacle. John Ashbery was both praised and criticized; admire or despise his poetry, there can be no denying his singular desire to be known solely for his poetry. Ashbery was a spearheaded thinker of postmodern poetry, much in the same vein as Erza Pound or T.S. Elliot, with modernism. Unlike many of his contemporaries; such as Adrian Rich or Gary Snyder, who turned their attention to social and political causes; John Ashbery, continued to focus on his own poetry, retaining his independent and individualistic poetic style, voice, and themes.

Rest in Peace, John Ashbery.

Thank-you For Reading Gentle Reader

Take Care

And As Always

Stay Well Read

M. Mary