Frank O’Hara as Modernist for the People Essay -- Frank

The verse line of open OHara is intimately connected to tonic York City. He explores the reference of the individual subject in the metropolis and the mechanics of the urban center itself provided because he engages the urban landscape in an urbane vogue some(prenominal) readers of Frank OHara view him as the prankish patron of the New York cheat scene who occasionally in additionk pen to paper. Take this review by Herbert Leibowitz as an example A fascinating amalgam of fan, connoisseur, and propagandist, he was considered by his friends, in an excess of enthusiasm, as the Apollinaire of his generation, an aesthetic courtier who had taste and impudence and fateful postal code . . . From the start OHara exhibits a precocious air of command and a bankers bill charm, as if to the verbal manner born . . . and indeed his cosmea is liberal of events - parties, thoughtful acts, homosexual encounters, a painting or drive to be commented on - that he supports with a sophi sticated nave enjoy and free-hearted emotion. 1 Leibowitzs remarks occasion the publication of The Collected Poems of Frank OHara and decorate the sanction pay of the paperback version. I find it a little contrary that a publisher reprinted a portion of this particular review of OHaras poetry. Leibowitz essentially pans the phonograph record and dismisses OHara as a poet of minor importance. He views Frank OHara as a Pan piping on city streets. This is a backhand(a) panegyric at best but it does solder a tie-in amid lyric poem poetry and the cityscape. Consider that OHara is following in the footsteps of other lyric poet of the urban landscape, Charles Baudelaire. Baudelaire attempts to embrace modernity, as he sees it, and to write the poetry of the city and the crowd. Although his intentions... ...r. 7 Neal Bowers. The City Limits Frank OHaras Poetry. Frank OHara To Be truthful to a City, ed. Jim Elledge, University of cabbage Press, 1990 (321). 8 This section is very problematic. I dont call for to trade name subtractive generalizations and assertions about Modernism. At the same time, I do not want to explore the work of any one writer in too much detail. Im going to allude mainly to Eliot and Pound, for simplicitys sake. 9 Frank OHara. The mean solar day brothel keeper Died. The Collected Poems of Frank OHara, ed. Donald Allen. University of California Press, 1995 (325). Hereafter cited parenthetically by human activity of poem and line number. 10 Kevin Stein. Everything the Opposite A Literary al-Qaeda for the Anti-Literary in Frank OHaras Lunch Poems Frank OHara To Be True to a City, ed. Jim Elledge. University of Michigan Press, 1990 (358). Frank OHara as Modernist for the People Essay -- Frank The poetry of Frank OHara is intimately connected to New York City. He explores the role of the individual subject in the city and the mechanics of the city itself yet because he engages the urban landscape in an urbane manner many readers of Frank OHara view him as the prankish patron of the New York art scene who occasionally took pen to paper. Take this review by Herbert Leibowitz as an example A fascinating amalgam of fan, connoisseur, and propagandist, he was considered by his friends, in an excess of enthusiasm, as the Apollinaire of his generation, an aesthetic courtier who had taste and impudence and prodigious energy . . . From the start OHara exhibits a precocious air of command and a throwaway charm, as if to the verbal manner born . . . and indeed his world is full of events - parties, thoughtful acts, homosexual encounters, a painting or film to be commented on - that he supports with a sophisticated nave wonder and generous emotion. 1 Leibowitzs remarks occasion the publication of The Collected Poems of Frank OHara and decorate the back cover of the paperback version. I find it a little strange that a publisher reprinted a portion of this particular review of OHaras poetry. Leibow itz basically pans the book and dismisses OHara as a poet of minor importance. He views Frank OHara as a Pan piping on city streets. This is a backhanded compliment at best but it does solder a connection between lyric poetry and the cityscape. Consider that OHara is following in the footsteps of another lyric poet of the urban landscape, Charles Baudelaire. Baudelaire attempts to embrace modernity, as he sees it, and to write the poetry of the city and the crowd. Although his intentions... ...r. 7 Neal Bowers. The City Limits Frank OHaras Poetry. Frank OHara To Be True to a City, ed. Jim Elledge, University of Michigan Press, 1990 (321). 8 This section is very problematic. I dont want to make reductive generalizations and assertions about Modernism. At the same time, I do not want to explore the work of any one writer in too much detail. Im going to allude mainly to Eliot and Pound, for simplicitys sake. 9 Frank OHara. The Day Lady Died. The Collected Poems of Frank OHara, ed. Don ald Allen. University of California Press, 1995 (325). Hereafter cited parenthetically by title of poem and line number. 10 Kevin Stein. Everything the Opposite A Literary Basis for the Anti-Literary in Frank OHaras Lunch Poems Frank OHara To Be True to a City, ed. Jim Elledge. University of Michigan Press, 1990 (358).