One key frame of the book is dreams and there are many poems that have the quality of dreams whether madeup or created in sleep. The book of a thousand eyes by harriet staff poetry foundation. This is hejinians largest scale book yet it reflects the kind of intimacy and affective and affecting charm i associate with all her work. Some poems in the series appeared in the little book of a thousand eyes, published by smokeproof pressalthough, please note, our poem, constant change figures, does not appear in that gathering. Lyn hejinian pennys poetry pages wiki fandom powered by. Hejinians last collection before this one, the book of a thousand eyes omnidawn, 2012, exhibited great formal range. Lyn hejinian teaches at the university of california, berkeley. The poems explore and play with languages of diverse stages of consciousness and realms of imagination. Hejinians familiar taste for dry abstraction finds a useful foil in dreams tendency toward images and sleeps resistance to linear thought. As you say, a formal imperative is being worked out within it.
Lyn hejinian is the author of numerous books, including most recently the book of a thousand eyes and the wide road, written in. From time of tyranny by lyn hejinian the poetry project. The unfollowing, the book of a thousand eyes, saga circus, and the fatalist. Lyn hejinian is currently considered a single author. The book of a thousand eyes lyn hejinian full stop. First published in 1980, and revised in 1987 and 2002, my. Lyn hejinian reading from the book of a thousand eyes 8. Though they may not be redemptive in effect, the diverse works that comprise the book of a thousand eyes argue for the possibilities of a merry, pained, celebratory, mournful, stubborn commitment to.
Phenomenal woman, still i rise, the road not taken, if you forget me, dreams. A dream still clinging like light to the dark roundingthe gap left by things which have already happenedleaving nothing in their place may have. Jun 18, 20 lyn hejinian the book of a thousand eyes omnidawn, 2012. Other volumes include the book of a thousand eyes and the wide road, written in collaboration with carla harryman. The 12th collection from poet, essayist, and translator hejinian the book of a thousand eyes offers a short russian novel modeled after pushkins eugene onegin. By lyn hejinian about this poet poet, essayist, translator, and publisher lyn hejinian is a founding figure of the language poetry movement of the 1970s and an influential force in the world of experimental and avantgarde poetics. The book of a thousand eyes by lyn hejinian goodreads. A collection of poems by writers ranging from william b. She is the author of many poetry collections, including my life and my life in the nineties. Theres immense pressure around the resistant list, and how a list can be a list without being a category. A native californian, she teaches in the english department at the university of california, berkeley.
The book of a thousand eyes to achieve reality by lyn hejinian. First published in 1980, and revised in 1987 and 2002, my life is now firmly established in the postmodern canon. The book of a thousand eyes never documents that magnetic terror, that finality of endless consequence that my dreams, at least, often carry. She served as a chancellor of the academy of american poets from 20062012. Apr 01, 2012 lyn hejinian is a poet, essayist, teacher, and translator. And the easy answerabundantly yesboth masks and unveils the bigger shape. Hejinians book is a compendium of night workslullabies, bedtime stories. The book of a thousand eyes boulder public library. Written over the course of two decades, the book of a thousand eyes was begun as an homage to scheherazade, the heroine of the arabian nights who, through her nightly taletelling, saved her culture and her own life by teaching a powerful and murderous ruler to abandon cruelty in favor of wisdom and benevolence. But isnt midnight intermittent by lyn hejinian poetry. Lyn hejinian s my life is one of the foundational texts of language poetry.
Poetry explorer classic contemporary poetry, the dream of. A nearly 4,000line epic composed of 271 separate 14line poems across eight books, wesleyans reissue of oxota the figures, 1991 includes hejinians corrections, reinsertions, and. The book of a thousand eyes i love says the acrobat by. Hejinian s book is a compendium of night workslullabies, bedtime stories. The dedication and epigraph to the book quoting bourdillons night has a thousand eyes emphasizes the books relation to what we see in dream and to the narrative quality that extends through all our tellings.
This is what gives it the character of a compendium. Lyn hejinian the book of a thousand eyes omnidawn, 2012 by. Hejinians the cell poems are philosophical reveries, matteroffact in their occasions and wryly meditative in tone. When hejinian visited the writers house a few years ago, she read 19 of these gorgeous little eyes, including ours. Belladonna will bring out her prose work, positions of the sun, in 2017. Though they may not be redemptive in effect, the diverse works that comprise the book of a thousand eyes argue for the possibilities of a merry, pained, celebratory, mournful, stubborn commitment to life. A mask of motion, hejinians first collection of openverse poems, was issued by keith waldrops burning deck press in 1977. The book of a thousand eyes is the culmination of two decades work for lyn hejinian, and it has been anticipated by some of her readers at least since the 1996 publication of a little book of a thousand eyes.
The poems explore and play with languages of varied stages of consciousness and realms of imagination. Other volumes include the book of a thousand eyes omnidawn books, 2012 and the wide road, written in collaboration with carla harryman belladonna, 2010. Lyn hejinian born may 17, 1941 is an american poet, essayist, translator and publisher, often associated with the language poets hejinian was born in the san francisco bay area and lives in berkeley, california with her husband the composermusician larry ochs. Craig morgan teicher is the author of brenda is in the room and other poems, cradle book. The book of a thousand eyes a dream, still clinging like light to the dark, rounding by lyn hejinian.
My life and my life in the nineties, wesleyan university press middletown, ct, 20. The book of a thousand eyes the lost pines inn would be a good name for a motel by lyn hejinian poems poets. The book of a thousand eyes npr coverage of the book of a thousand eyes by lyn hejinian. This is a long book, also over 300 pages, and made of poems and prosier pieces. Her most recent book, the book of a thousand eyes, is forthcoming in april 2012. She is the codirector with travis ortiz of atelos, a literary project commissioning and publishing cross.
Poet, essayist, and translator, she is also the author and coauthor of several books of poetry, most recently tribunal omnidawn publishing, 2019. I cant wait to see what story i hear during the next foray into this poem. I want to stay a little with the book of a thousand eyes. The poems explore and play with languages of diverse stages of consciousness and realms of. Lyn hejinian poems poems of lyn hejinian poem hunter. The book of a thousand eyes by lyn hejinian, paperback. The book of a thousand eyes to achieve reality lyn hejinian 1941 to achieve reality where objects thrive on peoples passions, enormous effort and continuous social interactions are required, and i cant get started without you. Written over the course of two decades, the book of a thousand eyes was begun as an homage to scheherazade, the heroine of the arabian nights who, through her nightly taletelling, saved her culture and her own life by teaching a powerful and murderous. The book of a thousand eyes i love says the acrobat by lyn. Jul, 2019 lyn hejinian teaches at the university of california, berkeley.
She is the author of writing is an aid to memory 1978, my life 1980, 1987, 2002, happily 2000, and the fatalist 2003. Lyn hejinian was born in the san francisco bay area in 1941. She is the author of many poetry collections, including my life and my life in the nineties wesleyan university press, 20, the book of a thousand eyes omnidawn, 2012, the fatalist omnidawn, 2003, and her landmark work my life burning deck, 1980. Mp3 lunchtime reading with jennifer scappettone and rachel levitsky at the kelly writers house on february 26, 2009. Poet, essayist, and translator, she is also the author and coauthor of several books of poetry, most. The book of a thousand eyes a dream, still clinging like light to the dark, rounding lyn hejinian 1941 a dream, still clinging like light to the dark, rounding the gap left by things which have already happened leaving nothing in their place, may have nothing to do but that. Her most recent published book of poetry is saga circus. The book of a thousand eyes was begun as an homage to scheherazade, the heroine of the arabian nights who, through her nightly taletelling, saved her culture and her own life by teaching a powerful and murderous ruler to abandon cruelty in favor of wisdom and benevolence. Books by arkadii dragomoschenko, barbara einzig, lyn. Written over the course of two decades, the book of a thousand eyes was begun as. She is the author of of over twenty volumes of poetry and critical prose, including several poetry collections previously published by omnidawn. Lyn hejinian the book of a thousand eyes omnidawn, 2012. American writers in the soviet union, mercury house san francisco, 1991.
Other translator arkadii dragomoshchenko, description, sun and moon press, 1990. Time of tyranny, 49 by lyn hejinian poems academy of. The book of a thousand eyes a dream, still clinging like. Nothing can quite prepare readers for the book of a thousand eyes, just out from omnidawn. Lyn hejinian is a poet, essayist, teacher, and translator. Her compendium of night works titled the book of a thousand eyes will appear in the early spring of 2012 from omnidawn. With its declarative dedication to scheherazade, the collection works to. In fall 20 wesleyan republished her bestknown book, my life, in an edition that includes her related work, my life in the nineties. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author.
The work is an extension of the suspended style of the other two prose books. Lyn hejinian born may 17, 1941 is an american poet, essayist, translator and publisher. Many thanks to jacket2 and charles bernstein for drawing our attention to lyn hejinians lastest. The book of a thousand eyes a dream, still clinging like light to the dark, rounding a dream, still clinging like light to the dark, rounding. The book of a thousand eyes the lost pines inn would be a. Apr 16, 2012 the book of a thousand eyes never documents that magnetic terror, that finality of endless consequence that my dreams, at least, often carry. Reading her, we watch thoughts in formation as she rummages around in her mind t. Her most recent book is the unfollowing omnidawn books, 2016. The book of a thousand eyes to achieve reality by lyn. Other books include a border comedy granary books, 2001, slowly and the beginner both published by tuumba press, 2002, and the fatalist. Her compendium of night works titled the book of a thousand eyes will appear in the early. Jean day a third of the way into the book of a thousand eyes comes the question, isnt sleep fitted to this world. Reading from the book of a thousand eyes, january 15, 2011 complete recording 16. Her most recent published book of poetry is saga circus 2008.
The academy of american poets is the largest membershipbased nonprofit organization fostering an appreciation for contemporary poetry and supporting american poets. Many of the poems touch on the idea of sleep or lack thereof, and one is. Your works unfold a lot of space and time as things that happen simultaneously and are inseparable from form itself. Her poetry is characterized by an unusual lyricism and descriptive engagement with the everyday. Hejinians sallies are at once pragmatic, mysterious, and an utter delight to read.
Hejinians book is a compendium of night workslullabies, bedtime. The book of a thousand eyes a dream, still clinging like light to the dark, rounding a dream, still clinging like light to the dark, rounding the gap left by things which have already happened leaving nothing in their place, may have nothing to do but that. Poet, essayist, translator, and publisher lyn hejinian is a founding figure of the language poetry movement of the 1970s and an influential force in the world of experimental and avantgarde poetics. She has published over a dozen books of poetry and numerous books of essays as well as two volumes of translations from the. But if the collection lacks or glosses over the nightmarish or ecstatic, its a conscious choice on hejinians part. A mask of motion, hejinian s first collection of openverse poems, was issued by keith waldrops burning deck press in 1977. Written over the course of two decades, the book of a thousand eyes was begun as an homage to scheherazade, the heroine of the arabian nights who, through her nightly taletelling, saved her culture. She is also the author of a book of essays, the language of inquiry 2000.
790 1355 1544 1128 1196 1364 559 562 1236 1159 1137 185 582 316 639 1200 1545 588 962 550 1447 904 775 709 1005 555 1255 884 1396 1388 371 1331 837 1106 568 1476 140 177 1044 1056 78 1152 1172 792 1122 1328