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This paperback edition contains the complete text of Roethke's seven published volumes plus sixteen previously uncollected poems. Included are his Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winners The Walking, Words for the Wind, and The Far Field. ... Read more

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My Review for The collected Poems of Theodore Roethke
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High Spirits
A friend loaned me The Collected Poems of Theodore Roethke when I was trying to compile a program of poems related to the painter Morris Graves, who is having a centenary exhibition of his work this year in San Francisco.I had never really studied up on Roethke, even though my teachers in graduate school were keen on him, but they were keen in a certain way that left one thinking, "He may be great but Robert Lowell is miles ahead of him."Or, "Between them Lowell and Elizabeth Bishop are doing everything poor Roethke tried to do, but with a solid East Coast grounding of reality."It was still an age when the suicide of poets meant something.Lowell and Bishop were both still alive and working, and every time Lowell came by our campus (I never met Bishop) you could see him growing nuttier and nuttier, and that was the way things were in the 1970s.

Anyhow, Roethke was regulated to a lower, West Coast brand of confessionalism that hadn't the classical rigor of his Eastern counterparts,He was about to do some good work--when he died--was the general feeling.Now, as I read the work, much of it for the first time, I wind up thinking that maybe the naysayers were partially right.Roethke's diction seems clotted and strange, a byproduct of his attempt to "do" Yeats and Blake and Manley Hopkins in American accents.Sylvia Plath does it too, but from her it sounds vaguely natural, like she thought in metaphysics.Roethke's "Praise to the End" is emblematic of the problems a reader encounters while trying to love the guy."It's dark in this wood, soft mocker," it begins."For whom have I swelled like a seed?"You can almost hear "Daddy" coming around the corner."Bumpkin, he can dance alone./Ooh, ooh, I'm a duke of eels./ / Arch my back, pretty-bones, I'm dead at both ends./Softly softly, you'll wake the clams./I'll feed the ghost alone./Father, forgive my hands."As a matter of fact, you can get used to this kind of thing, and in fact positively savor the whole stew of infelicities, the raw and the cooked heatedtogether like a tuna melt.The humble and the grand, the high and low.It's sort of an absolute binary that TR seems hellbent to break out of, but he always takes the high road eventually.

"Where are you now, my bonny beating gristle,/ My blue original dandy, numb with sugar?"At moments like this I pause, feeling irritated, like Travis Bickle."You talking to me?"Nevertheless it is a book of great historical interest, and maybe you too will feel a little intoxicated by the end of it.

Eye Opening
When I think of poetry I put Roethke right next to all the masters
that I love: Keats, Shakespeare, Thomas. Roethke separates himself by
his immersion full thrust into our world. For him there is no membrane between
his words and nature. Plants, people, provide pictures for his unerring
rhythm. While chilling me to the bone, he charms me with wit. When I wish
to shake myself out my doldrums I read Roethke. His poems have a courage
of a pioneer that goes alone. Like Keats said "he ne're is crowned with immortality
Who fears to follow where any voices lead."

A Lot of Fine Poetry
A nice inexpensive edition of Roethke's poetry.There is a great deal of interesting and sometimes powerful poetry in this book.While taste's will differ, I find the earlier and later poems to be the most compelling.A good deal of Roethke's work in the middle of his life is characterized by experimentation with language.The later poems, in particular, combine the more direct approach of Roethke's earlier poems with greater command of language and imagery.Roethke's use of nature imagery in the later poems, often in the context of reflections on his personal life and problems, is outstanding.

good deal
Good condition, got here fast, and the quality was great. I would definately buy from this retailer again. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Beautiful Edition of Roethke's work
I replaced an earlier collection of Roethke with this one.I like the binding and it will last until my children's children.I have been passionate about his work (went to the Univ of WA to be near him) since the very early sixties, and re-reading today find the poems stronger still, seeing them in a light that resonates with the earthiness that I feel calls to all of us.He used raw, earthen, everyday experience as metaphor for life emotions.Great book, nice collector's edition. ... Read more

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The first detailed biography of this renowned American poet
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A Must-Have for Roethke Enthusiasts
The author writes about Roethke from the viewpoint of a colleague, fellow writer, and friend.Seager divides the book into 15 chapters:Roethke's Birthplace, Roethke's Family, Childhood, His Father's Death, College, The Beginnings of Poetry, Trouble, The First Book, The Lost Son and Other Poems, Working Methods, The West Coast, Marriage and the Pulitzer Prize, The Prizes, the Awards, and The last years.

Seager's Roethke emerges as a man of contradictions.Moreover, in many cases, says Seager, Roethke outright lied in order to forge himself ahead; yet the reader comes away with the suspicion that Roethke never really lied, that either he believed what he was saying was true or that it could have been true under the right circumstances.

Seager doesn't so much discuss Roethke's work as he sets the stage for how Roethke's work came to be and how he wrestled with what it means to be a poet.During the course of the book, Seager considers Roethke's birthplace, his time of birth, his family, his education, and, finally, Roethke's need to find his noblest self.The introduction by Donald Hall is both informative and revealing as well.

At the center of Seager's discussion of Roethke's poetry career is Roethke's mental illness which may have accounted for both the best and worst moments of Roethke's too short life.

This is a book for Roethke's fans, those who love authors and literature, and/or those who are writers.Writers, especially, will be intrigued, I think.Seager's handling of the subject matter is as grand as his subject.

Highly Recommended
Ted Roethke springs to life from these pages-brilliant, astonishingly arrogant and hugely insecure. Seager links this combination to Roethke's father's death, but acknowledges a great deal of it was either innate or due to Ted having grown up as a sensitive boy in a very non-literary area of the world. Ted believed his poetry was consistently undervalued. Seager labels Ted as an "operator," by which he means that Ted strived in his poetry, not just to improve his skill, but also to bring it to the attention of poets who might critique it, publish it, review it, award him prizes for it, or otherwise be useful in his career. He worked tirelessly on improving his poetry and pushing the envelope OF poetry, while at the same time shamelessly promoting his own work and striving to become known as a poet. In between all this he suffered episodes of mania which led to various periods in institutions. A former co-worker of Roethke's, Seager paints an unforgettable portrait of the man behind the poems. A must-read for any Roethke acolyte.

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Customer Reviews (2)

Unbelievable collection.
This book is the most incredible collection of random scribbling I will ever find.This, Roethke's 'Collected Poems' and Camus' 'Lyrical & Critical Essays' comprise my collection of most sacred books.The outstanding feature of Straw for the Fire is that the scribblings are so overwhelming emotionally.Roethke is one of the most underrated poets to ever exist, and his talent is so obvious by this book of spur the moment thoughts and unfinished poems.If you love Roethke's work -- any or all of it -- this is a must-have.It says so much about him as a poet, a human being, someone whose confusion and awe of life are so charismatic.His weakness and strength shows plainly and beautifully in this incredible collection.

scribbles by themselves can be wondrous things.
i first saw this book in the hands of a boy who admired the brevity and stark reality of these words.these lingering tangents are for readers who sometimes admire just the leaves rather than the whole tree. ... Read more

Product Description
Theodore Roethke was one of the most famous and outpoken poets and poetry teachers this country has ever known. In this volume of selected prose, Roethke articulates his commitments to imaginative possibilities, offers tender advice to young writers, and zings darts at stuffed shirts, lightweights and fools. Culled from volumes long out of print, On Poetry and Craft will be prized in the classroom-and outrageous Roethke quotes will once again pepper our conversations. ... Read more

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Creativity is Hard to Teach
I found the poet's thoughts quite helpful and not as self-indulgent as other reviewers. I think Roethke also considered himself to be an artist at teaching as well as at writing. His was not a case of "those cannot do, teach". He established a style of relating and conveying materials to students with many years of success. Most importantly, no teacher can instruct how to be a good or great writer. Every instructor in the arts faces this dilemma.
I found Roethke's thoughts to have much merit. They aren't obtrusive or intrusive just a catch as catch can if they have meaning for the reader.

So much potential
I bought this book because I admire Roethke's poetry. Unfortunately the best and most interesting part of the book is the excellent foreword written by Carolyn Kizer. She manages to bring him alive - as a teacher, not just as a poet - gives a sense of the enormous excitement that the members of "that extraordinary class of '55" (including Kizer, James Wright, and Jack Gilbert) must have felt. You finish reading the introduction feeling a huge sense of anticipation ... and that's about it.

Roethke on himself is uninteresting. Ego, a couple of aphorisms, some examples (which are worth paying attention to - pity you're struggling to stay awake at this point) and a lot of the sort of waffle that he, by his own repeated insistence, would have completely rejected in poetry. Oh, and a fair bit of cattiness - see the chapter "A Tirade Turning" (what were people thinking when they included this? And why?)

The worst thing about this book is its unevenness. If it was all poorly/boringly/self-indulgently written, then you would be able to dismiss it as the work of someone who "wasn't any good at writing about writing". But then he comes out with sections like "Some notes on rhythm"; one of the most lucid explanations of rhythm effects that I have yet come across.

All in all? An disappointing book, if only because of the brief flashes of how much better it could have been. Too much self-indulgence, too much spite, too much self-congratulation. So much potential unrealised! ... Read more

Product Description
With Roethke's sudden, tragic death in 1963, a great poetic career was brought to an untimely end. "The Far Field" presents the most rewarding of his many volumes of poetry, both in brilliance of style and inner meaning. All of the poems have appeared previously in periodicals such as "The Atlantic Monthly, Harper's, Ladies' Home Journal, The New Yorker", and "The Partisan Review". Lightning Print on Demand Title. ... Read more

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A collection of eight critical essays on Roethke's poetry arranged in chronological order of publication. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Thoughtfully explored
When perusing this volume, you will be struck by how skillfully the author manages to strike a balance between letters and his own interpretation.You are taken on a journey of Roethke's poetic process; the text explores the why and how of Roethke's work in a subtle yet understanding way.This is a good read for those who wish to learn more about the private mind behind Roethke's published writing, and those who wish to gain a better appreciation of how one literary mind shapes and guides another. ... Read more

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A collection of poems about a world of mingled reality and fantasy, especially a variety of crazy creatures. ... Read more

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Poems for the future Edward Gorey-lover
I don't know poetry.If you were ask me to explain the relative merits of such poets as Ogden Nash, Bob Hicok, and Rumi you'd probably get the highly intelligent answer of "Guh?".I also do not know children's poetry.My knowledge of that particular genre consists entirely of the usual Shel Silverstein/Douglas Florian/Jack Prelutsky/Karen English stuff they force down your gullet in elementary school and then abandon once you realize you can't write it yourself.I don't know poetry, but I know what I like.And I like Theodore Roethke.I once sent a query to a children's literature listserv asking various children's literary scholars, librarians, and authors what they felt were the mostunappreciated kids' books out there.One knowledgeable soul suggested this book as well as Roethke's, "I Am, Says the Lamb".As I've mentioned before, poetry isn't exactly my thang.Still, I decided to rough it out since there's no denying that poems really do make for quick reads.What I found was a book that has more in common with the aforementioned Shel Silverstein and creepy German classic "Stuwwelpeter" than I ever would have thought possible.You've got animal poems, creepy poems, insightful poems, and disturbing poems.Everything, in fact, that your average child reader should be exposed to as early as possible.

There are twenty-seven poems in all here and of these twenty-two are about animals.There's a rather telling poem about a turtle named Myrtle (no relation to Dr. Suess' Yertle, I assure you).One of a kitty-cat bird that commits suicide when it discovers that it has no original tendencies.One that compares rats to the backs of eels rolled in grease.That sort of thing.Many of these poems grow contemplative and broad as their thoughts expand upon the page.In thinking about a tiny meadow mouse that has escapes from his care into the wild, Roethke says, "I think of the nestling fallen into the deep grass / The turtle gasping in the dusty rubble of the highway / The paralytic stunned in the tub, and the water rising - / All things innocent, hapless, forsaken".Roethke has a tendency towards the dark, but he also is comfortable with seeming nonsense rhymes.Consider the poem "A One Is a Two Is" where he states, "I wish I was a pifflebob / I wish I was a funny / I wish I had ten thousand hats / And made a lot of money...".Some of these poems are limericks.Some are free verse.Some have the usual four stanzas and some are extended to six.The poems selected for this book were chosen by Roethke's wife Beatrice and perhaps they were never intended for children originally.Whether they wereor not, though, they make a lovely little collection that is perfect for the kid with a streak of darkness in 'em.

The fact that Amazon.com recommends this book to children in the age range of "Baby-Preschool" is misleading at best.The illustrations by Julie Brinckloe alone belie this.Ms. Brinckloe never really became that well-known an author/illustrator.Her best known work, "Fireflies", is probably what most people would remember her for.I, on the other hand, prefer to think of her darker work in this book. With simple pen-and-inks and a definite sense of humor, Brinckloe's images are chipper if somewhat creepy conjurations inspired by Roethke's awry sense of humor.There's a particularly nice image that accompanies "Night Crow" where the poem reads that a tremendous bird flew, "Further and further away / Into the moonless black / Deep in the brain, far back".The picture is of a boy with a crow embedded deeply into his head.Such images look a lot like early Paul Zelinsky, and once in a while add the softer edge that Roethke's poems require.

I wonder, looking at this book, whether parents will steer their children away from it.It would be a shame.Sure the poem "My Papa's Waltz" seems more like a thinly veiled story of battered child than a carefree dance.Still, for all the darkness there is much to love in Roethke's images here.Most cleverly, the editors of this book chose "Child On Top of a Greenhouse" as the introductory poem to the book.It's a beautiful poem and with just seven lines it deserves to be written here.Consider it the perfect way to understand a child's book of poetry that deserves to be remembered.

Child On top of a Greehouse
The wind billowing out the seat of my britches,
My feet crackling splinters of glass and dried putty,
The half-grown chrysanthemums staring up like accusers,
Up through the streaked glass, flashing with sunlight,
A few white clouds all rushing eastward,
A line of elms plunging and tossing like horses,
And everyone, everyone pointing up and shouting!
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