W, Diane Wakoski to C.D. Wright
Diane Wakoski
Wakoski is a long-time postmodern icon, one of “the nation’s most significant poets” who responded to the Poetry Society of America’s question, “What is American about American poetry?” In her considerable body of work, poems like “Red Bandanna” are Beat-perfect. Catch her dark humor in her selected poems, Emerald Ice (Black Sparrow Press, 1988).
Wakoski is a long-time postmodern icon, one of “the nation’s most significant poets” who responded to the Poetry Society of America’s question, “What is American about American poetry?” In her considerable body of work, poems like “Red Bandanna” are Beat-perfect. Catch her dark humor in her selected poems, Emerald Ice (Black Sparrow Press, 1988).
Anne Waldman
Fast-speaking woman, daughter cum mother of the Beats, founder of the “Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics” at Naropa, historian of Jove (Iovis), definer of Marriage, Mother of Actual, Waldman’s an Inspiration. There’s a great poem & action foto at Bohemian Ink & a page full of good stuff at the Museum of American Poetics.
Fast-speaking woman, daughter cum mother of the Beats, founder of the “Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics” at Naropa, historian of Jove (Iovis), definer of Marriage, Mother of Actual, Waldman’s an Inspiration. There’s a great poem & action foto at Bohemian Ink & a page full of good stuff at the Museum of American Poetics.
Jim Watson-Gove
He’s a Beat survivor who has published zines since the 60’s: Showcase, Lemmings (70’s), Minotaur (80’s and 90’s) and since his retirement, he edits Baker Street Irregular. His poems appear online in The Astrophysicist's Tango Partner Speaks.
He’s a Beat survivor who has published zines since the 60’s: Showcase, Lemmings (70’s), Minotaur (80’s and 90’s) and since his retirement, he edits Baker Street Irregular. His poems appear online in The Astrophysicist's Tango Partner Speaks.
James Welch
Native American poet & novelist James Welch was of Blackfoot/Gros Ventre heritage, a “writer’s writer” in the Montana literary community, mentor to Sherman Alexie & author of Fools Crow & Riding the Earthboy 40. He died too young (at the age of 62) in 2003.
Native American poet & novelist James Welch was of Blackfoot/Gros Ventre heritage, a “writer’s writer” in the Montana literary community, mentor to Sherman Alexie & author of Fools Crow & Riding the Earthboy 40. He died too young (at the age of 62) in 2003.
Philip Whalen
Known as a poet’s poet, Beat innovator (he was at the famous Six Gallery reading), & the most genuine & gentle of men, Philip Whalen was ordained a Zen priest in 1973 and died in 2002. Jacket Magazine #11 has a gathering of memoirs & poems.
Known as a poet’s poet, Beat innovator (he was at the famous Six Gallery reading), & the most genuine & gentle of men, Philip Whalen was ordained a Zen priest in 1973 and died in 2002. Jacket Magazine #11 has a gathering of memoirs & poems.
Philip Whalen
Mark Other Place is a beautiful online chapbook sampling of Whalen’s poems with drawings by Nancy Davis at Big Bridge, which also has a bibliography of Whalen’s publications.
Mark Other Place is a beautiful online chapbook sampling of Whalen’s poems with drawings by Nancy Davis at Big Bridge, which also has a bibliography of Whalen’s publications.
Phillis Wheatley
America’s first black poet, Phillis Wheatley came from West Africa to New England as a slave, learned English, Greek & Latin, was the toast of the town in Boston when her first broadside was published, & died alone in a boarding house at 31.
America’s first black poet, Phillis Wheatley came from West Africa to New England as a slave, learned English, Greek & Latin, was the toast of the town in Boston when her first broadside was published, & died alone in a boarding house at 31.
Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman was the quintessential American poet who sang of individual freedom, democracy & the brotherhood of man in the many editions of his compendious masterpiece, Leaves of Grass.
Walt Whitman was the quintessential American poet who sang of individual freedom, democracy & the brotherhood of man in the many editions of his compendious masterpiece, Leaves of Grass.
Walt Whitman
The most complete online collection of everything pertaining to WW is at the Walt Whitman Archive (currently in revision), which has an mp3 of the wax cylinder recording of Whitman’s voice reading four lines from “America.”
The most complete online collection of everything pertaining to WW is at the Walt Whitman Archive (currently in revision), which has an mp3 of the wax cylinder recording of Whitman’s voice reading four lines from “America.”
Saul Williams
Williams made his first public impact as co-writer & star of Slam, the “raw poem of a movie” that meshed prison documentary, poetry slam & melodrama in 1998. In 2001, he went up against Sherman Alexie in the World Heavyweight Poetry Bout at the Taos Poetry Circus, then lost his title to Pat Payne in 2002.
Williams made his first public impact as co-writer & star of Slam, the “raw poem of a movie” that meshed prison documentary, poetry slam & melodrama in 1998. In 2001, he went up against Sherman Alexie in the World Heavyweight Poetry Bout at the Taos Poetry Circus, then lost his title to Pat Payne in 2002.
William Carlos Williams
Read the poems first, always. Ten of Dr. Williams’ are posted on his page at AAP, including the famous “The Red Wheelbarrow” & a RealAudio recording of “To Elsie” in WCW’s own voice. AAP also has lots of background info on the Imagists, the Objectivists & the Modernists, to put Williams’ pithy poems into a broader historical context.
Read the poems first, always. Ten of Dr. Williams’ are posted on his page at AAP, including the famous “The Red Wheelbarrow” & a RealAudio recording of “To Elsie” in WCW’s own voice. AAP also has lots of background info on the Imagists, the Objectivists & the Modernists, to put Williams’ pithy poems into a broader historical context.
William Carlos Williams
For background, biography & commentary on Williams’ work, visit Modern American Poetry’s Williams collection, Ben Johnson’s Modernism page on Williams & the PBS Voices & Visions feature, which includes a video clip of “The Great Figure.”
For background, biography & commentary on Williams’ work, visit Modern American Poetry’s Williams collection, Ben Johnson’s Modernism page on Williams & the PBS Voices & Visions feature, which includes a video clip of “The Great Figure.”
John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester
Mark Ynys-Môn has created a Web shrine to the notoriously naughty 17th century poet of love & rude satire.
Mark Ynys-Môn has created a Web shrine to the notoriously naughty 17th century poet of love & rude satire.
Larry Winfield
Laid-back Larry Winfield is half-poet, half-musician, half unknown artist in Hong Kong, and just one more reason why Chicago is the leading city in the bareknuckles brawl that is the Poetry world these days. He also stirs hornets at Poetry Agonistics, but these stings are salved by sweeeeeet honey.
Laid-back Larry Winfield is half-poet, half-musician, half unknown artist in Hong Kong, and just one more reason why Chicago is the leading city in the bareknuckles brawl that is the Poetry world these days. He also stirs hornets at Poetry Agonistics, but these stings are salved by sweeeeeet honey.
Koon Woon
The poet of solitude, Koon Woon has lived on the other side of madness, has returned with gentleness, humble humor, Whitman condensed talking to a goldfish. Ah. Please read The Truth in Rented Rooms, the Best Book of Poetry 1998.
The poet of solitude, Koon Woon has lived on the other side of madness, has returned with gentleness, humble humor, Whitman condensed talking to a goldfish. Ah. Please read The Truth in Rented Rooms, the Best Book of Poetry 1998.
William Wordsworth
Among the resources at David Rasnake’s Wordsworth site are a hypertextual biography & a gallery of Wordsworth portrait images.
Among the resources at David Rasnake’s Wordsworth site are a hypertextual biography & a gallery of Wordsworth portrait images.
William Wordsworth
TCG’s Wordsworth page at the University of South Dakota includes a brief bio & an interesting FAQ which lists other places to go for critical interpretations of Wordsworth poems.
TCG’s Wordsworth page at the University of South Dakota includes a brief bio & an interesting FAQ which lists other places to go for critical interpretations of Wordsworth poems.
C.D. Wright
Her poems stop at the fence so you can catch up, then soldier forward, words alone, you come to. She is Collaborator, Poet Laureate of Rhode Island, of Arkansas, publisher of Lost Roads. “Tours” was in The United States of Poetry & “Oneness” is at the DIA Center for the Arts Readings in Contemporary Poetry site.
Her poems stop at the fence so you can catch up, then soldier forward, words alone, you come to. She is Collaborator, Poet Laureate of Rhode Island, of Arkansas, publisher of Lost Roads. “Tours” was in The United States of Poetry & “Oneness” is at the DIA Center for the Arts Readings in Contemporary Poetry site.