The Waste Land and Other Poems (1922)

3.5 stars

I have wanted to read The Waste Land since seeing various quotes taken from it strewn throughout Stephen King's works. My favorites are

"I will show you fear in a handful of dust." and
"This is how the world ends / Not with a bang, but with a whimper."

Those quotes have always given me a little thrill when I see them mentioned in other books and novels, and they seemed to indicate to me that Eliot would be right up my alley, because it seemed that his work is dark, and a little twisted. I am not a poetry fan, but I thought that I might like Eliot despite that.

And I did, mostly. I grabbed this from the library, and read most of the 88 pages on the walk home. It was a lovely, although windy, day, and I just enjoyed the walk home with my nose stuck in a book.

This collection included the following (listed from the Table of Contents):
- The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
- Preludes
- Gerontion
- Sweeney Among the Nightingales
- The Waste Land
I. The Burial of the Dead
II. A Game of Chess
III. The Fire Sermon
IV. Death By Water
V. What The Thunder Said
Notes on 'The Waste Land'
- Ash-Wednesday
- Journey of the Magi
- Marina
- Landscapes
I. New Hampshire
II. Virginia
III. Usk
- Two Choruses From 'The Rock'

I liked most of the poems here, and in fact I can't really say that there were any that I did NOT like, but I just find it really difficult and distracting to read in verse. I really enjoyed the feeling and imagery of these poems, but I still feel like I'm just not perceptive enough to catch everything and to understand the symbolism or meaning or depth of the poetry. This is my own failing, due to my own preference for reading prose rather than verse, but unfortunately, I have to take it out on poor Eliot.

I did like it, but I just feel like I should have loved it. I feel a little bad for not loving it, and for only being able to give this one 3 1/2 stars, but such is life. I will try more Eliot though, maybe. At least he writes interesting stuff... ;) ( )

I have never taken an instant like to a poet before. Not even Dorothy Parker, whom I adored reading. I don’t know what it is about Eliot, but the language just grabs you and snogs you and holds you. I just kept going back over verses, again and again, because some of the writing is just so damn pleasurable. My love for Ash Wednesday was so strong and so immediate that half a day later I was in a bookshop thumbing through the complete works.

It’s a doomed love affair. I’m sure soon enough I’ll find out he was a religious nutter who hated women or something. Until then, I’ll read a few more poems and enjoy them while I can.
( )

So far I've only read "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock", but wow. Amazing. I had so many moments of sheer pleasure and fascination reading this. MOAR.

"I should have been a pair of ragged claws / Scuttling across the floors of silent seas"

EDIT: I've read a few more. Eliot has the ability to paint a vivid, confusing picture in your mind that--for me--catches up with you a few lines later. I found myself slowly realizing a grin and having to leaf back to find what I had read that I found so warm and wonderful.

"The Waste Land" - I would definitely echo Ralph Ellison's sentiments: I don't get it, but damned if it isn't badass (paraphrase). ( )

I like Eliot's work in general, and I was not aware that The Waste Land was a World War I poem, which gave it a different perspective than I had the first time I read it. ( )

This is my first serious volume of poetry I read that is not required by a class. And... I'm not sure what to think. I know the poetry is well written, but I didn't get it. I think I need to read this again.