Edwin Arlington Robinson (1869–1935)

Being a long poem which retells the medieval legend of Tristan and Isolde (here, Tristram and Isolt). The long poem genre was on life support even when this was written, and the poem is a good example of why; it's rambling, abstruse, and repetitious. The poem's action, such as it is, isn't terribly difficult to follow, and Robinson is a fine poet who can be counted on to drop in some beautiful poetry from time to time. Still, this basically comes down to two characters telling each other show more over and over how much they love each other, except when they don't. show less

A sad tale of the end of things, by a once prominent American Poet. The tale appears not to be taken from Malory, but the more contemporaneous Howard Pyle redaction. Good reading, many quotable couplets, but still a sad period well treated Originally published in 1920. The reprint found now has a great deal of literary apparatus added. I read the 1920 version.

This is a book you'll either enjoy or hate. Note I didn't use the term 'love'. The subject matter is dark, and depending on how you interpret it, the house is either real or it's a metaphor for the mind, or guilt. I haven't read that much Narrative Verse in the past 20 or so years, so I enjoyed the challenge of it. I suspect that the occasional bits of cadence and rhyme in the work were more of my own machinations rather than something intended by the author. Mr. Robinson won the Pulitzer show more Prize for Poetry three times 1920's. Cavender's House was published in 1929. It is an emotionally-charged work, and quite dark. Parts of it got me thinking of things I'd prefer to not remember. This may not be his best work, but it is clearly a strong argument for reading more of his poetry.

I had a nagging suspicion that I had encountered his poems some time ago, so I did a little research. The only connection I could make was a short poem titled "Richard Cory", which Simon & Garfunkel adapted to their song of the same name. show less

Edwin Arlington Robinson was as close to a pop star of formal poetry that the USA has ever had. This book illustrates why. Finely crafted sonnets, often on contemporary themes, written for the lay reader. Satisfying and rarely stuffy, this is poetry before the art form scurried away into the halls of academe.