Professional Documents
Culture Documents
N Otes: I Ntroduction
N Otes: I Ntroduction
Introduction
Chapter 5 Supplement
1. Because Man and Camel was not released before this monograph was
readied for press, here we have referenced versions of the poems that
were shared by Mark Strand personally with the author or, when possi-
ble, published in journals. The author thus does not account for any
alterations of the poems, including potential titles, made for the final
printing of Man and Camel. All attempts to provide accuracy of the
versions discussed have been made.
2. Attending one of Strand’s readings is perhaps the most valuable act a
regular reader of Strand can make. While much has been said of his
compelling clear and understated tone of voice, the responses of
Strand’s audience also adds to the experience. Their responses to the
twists and turns of a Strand poem assist in the recognition of the com-
plexity of his poetic movement. In “Man and Camel,” for example, his
audience properly laughed heartily at the opening; reflected seriously
on the poem’s philosophical underpinnings (“their voices / rose as one
above the sifting sound / or windblown sand”); giggled, still thought-
fully, at “The wonder of their singing, / its elusive blend of man and
camel seemed / an ideal image for all uncommon couples”; grew
seriously silent at the Leopardian “Was this the night that I had waited
for / so long?”; and laughed thoroughly at the closing, “You ruined it.
You ruined it forever,” before finally pausing contemplatively. Few
poets have the ability to evoke such a range of emotions in such a small
amount of lines of lyrics, yet Strand does, in fact, have people in tears of
laughter and sadness within minutes of each other. While this mono-
graph has not attempted to chart Strand’s emotional range in his
poetry, it is magnificent, and should be experienced firsthand to be
truly comprehended.
Bibliography
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Confronts the Infinite, Which Sometimes Returns His Gaze.” The New York
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‘Humorous Poet,’ Mark Strand is Serious, Spellbinding, Heartbreaking—
and Outright Funny.” A Chicago Journal Poetry Center Event Review
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Gullette, David. “Mark Strand: Nervous in His Own Kingdom.” New Boston
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Kelen, Leslie. “Finding Room in the Myth: An Interview with Mark Strand.”
Boulevard 5–6 (Spring 1991): 61–82.
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208 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kirby, David 8–9, 20, 25, 36, 37, 120, 122, 126, 145, 153, 169,
56, 71 172, 184, 203
Moore, Marianne 52, 95, 132
lakes 47, 68, 89, 127, 131–132, mothers 57, 65, 135, 148,
146–151, 158–159, 168 183–184, 186
lavender 111–112, 174 motif (see individual motifs)
leaves 35–36, 40, 58, 78, 87, 102, mountains 2–3, 58, 94, 97, 103,
111, 134–137, 142, 146, 151, 113–116, 127, 134, 195–196
161–162, 179, 188
Leopardi, Giacomo 7, 13, 53–55, nature 2–4, 7, 9–10, 15–16,
81, 83, 120, 183, 186 20–27, 30–33, 36, 39, 42, 45,
Lieberman, Laurence 7, 23 56–58, 61–63, 67–69, 71, 75,
light 3, 8, 23, 32–33, 36, 40–43, 81–86, 89–94, 97–98, 111,
49–52, 57–59, 63, 65–69, 114–117, 123–127, 130–133,
73–80, 90–91, 97–100, 103, 136–138, 141–143, 149, 154,
111–112, 117, 119, 126, 129, 157, 167–175, 178, 180, 185,
131, 133, 139–142, 146, 189, 194, 196–197, 201
151–152, 158, 161–164, 169, night 17, 20–22, 40, 54, 56, 58,
171, 174, 180–181, 184, 189, 60–64, 67, 69, 78, 101,
196 115–116, 123, 135–136, 142,
loss 3, 8, 11, 23, 45–48, 59, 65, 68, 144–145, 147, 162, 174, 180,
76, 80, 83, 98, 101–104, 109, 183, 204
118, 128, 133, 138, 141, 144, nihilism 1, 7, 92, 131, 160,
146, 158–160, 163, 170, 171, 183–184, 193
174, 186, 190, 197, 198, 204
love 3, 7, 20, 26–28, 30–32, ocean (see also sea, water) 103,
40–43, 49–50, 55–58, 64–65, 181–182
87, 93, 96–98, 102–104, Orpheus 55, 58–60, 94–96, 115,
117–118, 120–121, 127–130, 195
135, 142–143, 146, 152, 167,
174, 179–180, 193 paper 33, 38–39, 47, 51, 68, 81,
153, 203
Manguso, Sarah 175 pink 75, 147
Marsyas 100–102, 187 Pinsky, Robert 8, 9, 22, 25, 38,
metaphors (see individual 42, 105
metaphors) postmodernism 90, 106, 195
Miller, J. Hillis 1, 3, 29, 36, 39, Poulet, Georges 1–2, 29, 36, 39,
52, 59, 68, 167, 169, 193 59, 71, 167, 169, 193
mirrors 21, 28–30, 41, 52–53, 96, primitive darkness 2–4, 7, 10, 16,
98, 117, 123, 126, 138, 22, 36, 49, 51, 59, 67–68, 106,
183–186, 198 116, 128–129, 163, 168, 171,
modernism 2, 6, 23, 55, 59, 70, 196 194–195
monosyllablic verse 77, 136, 173 privative darkness 2–4, 7, 16, 22,
moons 3, 20, 57, 62, 68, 79, 83, 49, 51, 53, 58–59, 64, 67–69,
85, 92, 97, 108, 113, 116–117, 78, 81, 106, 119, 128–129,
214 Index