Going Back to the River

Going Back to the River is a collection of poems published by Marilyn Hacker in 1990. The verses explore relationships, identity, and longing through both traditional and experimental poetic forms. The poems track a range of personal narratives and observations, following characters through cities like Paris and New York. Several pieces focus on female relationships and Jewish heritage during late 20th century urban life. Hacker employs sonnets, villanelles, and free verse to construct her narratives of loss and belonging. The work alternates between formal constraints and more open structures. These poems meditate on the tension between roots and displacement, examining how memory and desire shape human connections. The collection exposes the complexities of gender, sexuality, and cultural inheritance through intimate personal histories.

Limited reader reviews exist online for this collection of poems. On Goodreads, it has only 9 ratings with an average of 4.22/5 stars, but no written reviews. Reader comments mention the technical skill in Hacker's formal verse, particularly her sonnets and villanelles. Multiple readers noted her exploration of lesbian relationships and Jewish identity. A reviewer on LibraryThing appreciated the "musical quality" of the poems and their "intimate personal details." Critical comments focused on some poems being too densely packed with references and requiring multiple readings to fully grasp. Available ratings: Goodreads: 4.22/5 (9 ratings, 0 reviews) LibraryThing: 4/5 (2 ratings, 1 review) Due to the small number of public reviews, it's difficult to provide a comprehensive analysis of reader reception. The book appears to be better known in academic and poetry circles than among general readers.

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🌟 Going Back to the River contains several poems that celebrate LGBTQ+ relationships during a time (1990) when such themes were rarely featured prominently in mainstream poetry collections 📚 Marilyn Hacker wrote this collection while living in both Paris and New York, and many poems reflect the dual cultural influences of these cities 🏆 The book's author, Marilyn Hacker, became the first woman to receive the National Book Award for Poetry in 1975 for her earlier work "Presentation Piece" 💫 Several poems in the collection explore Jewish identity and heritage, drawing from Hacker's own background and experiences as a Jewish-American poet 📝 The collection showcases Hacker's mastery of formal poetry structures, particularly the sonnet and ghazal forms, while addressing contemporary themes and personal experiences