This study offers a postmodern critical perspective on post-World War II poetry, questioning the common belief that experimental poetry represents political dissent while traditional forms are seen as conservative. It explores the complexities of poetic expression and political engagement, suggesting that the relationship between form and ideology is more nuanced than previously thought.
An authoritative biography of Turkey's most important and most popular poet. Nâzim Hikmet (1902–1963), Turkey’s best-loved poet and a commanding presence in its public life, lived through a turbulent era—the end of the Ottoman Empire, the rise of Communist Russia, and the birth of the Turkish Republic. Born into the Ottoman elite, Hikmet embraced Communist ideals and joined the revolutionary ranks at nineteen. Of passionate temperament, he lived his life full-tilt, deeply romantic in his loves and uncompromising in his politics—for which he spent more than a third of his life in prisons or in exile. His stirring free verse in simple words, praising his country, his women, and the common man, was considered “subversive” and banned for decades. Today it is available in more than fifty languages, and Hikmet is recognized worldwide as a major twentieth-century poet.
O'Hara, Bishop, Ashbery, and Merrill
The study critiques the common belief that post-World War II experimental poetry represents political dissent, contrasting it with traditional forms deemed politically conservative. It explores the complexities of poetic expression and the political implications of various styles, suggesting that the relationship between form and political stance is more nuanced than previously thought. Through this analysis, the book invites readers to reconsider the boundaries of poetry and its potential for political engagement.