John Ashbery
Biography
John Ashbery (1927-2017) was an American poet widely regarded as one of the most significant and influential figures in late 20th-century poetry. Born in Rochester, New York, he studied at Harvard and Columbia, moving to France in the 1950s where he worked as an art critic for the International Herald Tribune. His early work was championed by W.H. Auden, but it was with his 1975 collection 'Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror' that he achieved widespread critical acclaim and unprecedented awards, including the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the National Book Critics Circle Award. Ashbery's poetry is known for its challenging complexity, disjunctive narrative, and a unique blend of high culture and everyday language. He often resisted easy interpretation, presenting a fluid, almost stream-of-consciousness exploration of thought and perception. His work profoundly influenced subsequent generations of poets, establishing him as a groundbreaking figure who expanded the possibilities of poetic expression.
Selected Thoughts
«The way we think about things is the way we are.»
«The soul is not a soul / Has no secret, is not a secret, is not a rose, / The soul is an interior lake.»
«I don't find it easy to explain my poems, and I'd be rather suspicious of a poet who could explain his poems in a way that seemed to fit perfectly.»
Writing Style
Ashbery's writing style is characterized by its experimental, complex, and often surreal nature. It is disjunctive, non-linear, and frequently shifts perspective, blending conversational tones with philosophical musings and abstract imagery. He often employs a 'collage' technique, incorporating everyday language, literary allusions, and fragmented narratives, resisting clear interpretation and demanding active engagement from the reader. His work is both intellectual and deeply personal, exploring the fluidity of thought and language.