Of Being Numerous

Of Being Numerous is George Oppen's Pulitzer Prize-winning collection of poems published in 1968. The book consists of 40 numbered sections that form a long sequence, interspersed with shorter individual poems. The work chronicles Oppen's experiences and observations of urban life in post-war America, particularly New York City. His verse examines the relationship between individuals and masses of people, focusing on what connects and separates humans in modern society. The poems move between personal memories, philosophical meditations, and observations of city streets and buildings. Oppen's style favors spare language and precise imagery, often incorporating fragments of conversation and found text. The collection wrestles with questions of isolation versus community, and how to maintain individual identity within large populations. Through its structure and subject matter, the work suggests both the difficulty and necessity of human connection in an increasingly populous world.

Readers describe Of Being Numerous as a complex meditation on modern existence, with many noting the challenging nature of Oppen's spare, philosophical style. The collection resonates with those interested in objective poetry and social consciousness. Readers appreciated: - The precision of language and careful word choice - Focus on concrete images over abstraction - Integration of urban life observations - Anti-war themes and political undertones Common criticisms: - Poems can feel fragmented and difficult to access - Requires multiple readings to grasp meaning - Some sections feel overly academic Ratings: Goodreads: 4.27/5 (146 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (12 ratings) Reader quote: "Oppen strips language down to examine how we construct meaning" - Goodreads reviewer Negative review: "The minimalist style sometimes crosses into obscurity" - Amazon reviewer Notable pattern in reviews: Many readers mention spending weeks or months with the text before feeling they understood it fully.

Collected Poems by Robert Creeley Creeley's minimalist approach and philosophical investigation of language mirrors Oppen's objectivist poetics.

The Book of Ephraim by James Merrill This meditation on history, knowledge, and human consciousness explores metaphysical questions through a modernist lens.

Selected Poems by Charles Reznikoff Reznikoff's objectivist poetry presents unadorned observations of urban life and social realities.

Words in Air: The Complete Correspondence by Elizabeth Bishop, Robert Lowell The letters between these poets reveal a shared commitment to precision and examination of the relationship between language and experience.

The Dream Songs by John Berryman This sequence of poems confronts personal and political history through fragmented narratives and shifting perspectives.

🔷 Of Being Numerous won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1969, making George Oppen one of the few objectivist poets to receive this prestigious award. 🔷 Oppen wrote this collection after a 25-year hiatus from poetry, during which he worked as a carpenter and was involved in political activism as a member of the Communist Party. 🔷 The book's title poem consists of 40 numbered sections and explores themes of modern urban life, isolation, and the relationship between the individual and society. 🔷 The work was heavily influenced by Oppen's experiences during World War II, where he served in the infantry and was severely wounded in the Battle of the Bulge. 🔷 Many of the poems in the collection were inspired by Oppen's observations of New York City, where he witnessed the tension between technological progress and human connection in the modern world.