Tesserae and Other Poems

by John Hollander

Book Overview

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0679422226
• ISBN13: 9780679422228
• Release Date: April 1993
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
• Length: 89 Pages
• Weight: 0.84 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.5" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

a major American poet

This collection of Hollander's poetry is exquisitely crafted, as is the rule with his work. The poetry possesses a surface brilliance and a control of traditional poetic form that puts him in the company of only a few modern masters - to name some of them, Anthony Hecht and Richard Wilbur. The title poem is the center piece of this collection. It is a set of 144 quatrains that utilize the stanza immortalized by Fitzgerald's rendering of _The Rubaiyat_. It is a major work, and not one that I suspect many other poets could pull off, or would want to try for that matter. Hollander manages it, and the results are impressive. The imagery is compelling, and the poetry is exceedlingly musical (as befits such a nod to _The Rubaiyat_). The emotions and moods evoked often recall Fitzgerald's famous rendering, too. The Library Journal review panned this book because in the mind of the reviewer, Hollander isn't Emily Dickenson. Hollander's work possesses its own distinction, and comparisons of major poet against major poet are as absurd as they are tedious. Furthermore, the comparison in this case seems weirdly inappropriate, based on the different intentions of the poets. Readers who like this book should check out Hollander's excellent _Selected Poems_. His book on the craft of verse, _Rhyme's Reason_, is intelligent and entertaining, and worth a look for those interested in the practice of traditional verse forms. As for this book, it is highly recommended, if you can find a copy. It has been out of print for a number of years.