Coming After: Essays on Poetry

Coming After is a collection of essays on poetry and poetics by acclaimed poet Alice Notley. The pieces span several decades of Notley's career as both a practitioner and critic of contemporary poetry. The essays examine key figures in 20th century American poetry, including Ted Berrigan, John Ashbery, and Allen Ginsberg. Notley writes from her perspective as someone who emerged after the first wave of New York School poets, considering their influence while charting her own artistic path. Notley addresses the role of women in poetry, the relationship between poetry and dreams, and the nature of poetic voice throughout the collection. She combines analysis of specific works with broader reflections on the craft of writing. The collection provides insights into how poets navigate tradition and innovation, suggesting that coming "after" earlier movements creates both opportunities and challenges for finding one's authentic creative direction.

A search of reader reviews and ratings for "Coming After: Essays on Poetry" by Alice Notley reveals limited public feedback online. The book has minimal presence on Goodreads and Amazon, with too few ratings to generate meaningful averages. From available reviews, readers value Notley's: - Direct, uncompromising analysis of poetry and poetics - Personal reflections on fellow poets like Ted Berrigan - Insights into the New York School poetry scene Points of criticism: - Dense academic language that can be challenging to parse - Limited focus on contemporary poets outside Notley's immediate circle One academic reviewer noted: "Notley provides a raw look at what it means to be both a woman and a poet, though the essays sometimes get lost in theoretical abstractions." Due to its specialized academic nature and limited commercial release, this book has not generated significant reader discussion in public forums or social media.

The Fire: Collected Essays by Kenneth Koch Koch's essays explore the intersection of poetic craft and personal experience through the lens of the New York School poets, a movement that influenced Notley's work.

Blue Studios: Poetry and Its Cultural Work by Rachel Blau DuPlessis These essays examine poetry through feminist and experimental perspectives while investigating the relationship between gender, culture, and poetic form.

Women, the New York School, and Other True Abstractions by Maggie Nelson Nelson's analysis delves into the role of women poets in the New York School and their contributions to avant-garde poetry, including Notley's influence on contemporary poetics.

The Language of Inquiry by Lyn Hejinian Hejinian combines critical theory with personal reflection to investigate the nature of experimental poetry and its relationship to consciousness.

A Guide to Poetics Journal: Writing in the Expanded Field by Lyn Hejinian and Barrett Watten This collection presents key theoretical writings about poetry from the influential Poetics Journal, featuring discussions of form, meaning, and experimentation in contemporary poetry.

🌟 Alice Notley wrote Coming After while living in Paris, where she moved in 1992 and continues to reside today 📚 The essays in this collection span two decades of Notley's critical writing, offering insights into both American poetry and her personal experiences as a poet 🎭 The book includes intimate reflections on the New York poetry scene of the 1960s and '70s, where Notley was married to poet Ted Berrigan and actively involved in the Second Generation New York School ✍️ Notley challenges traditional poetic hierarchies in these essays, advocating for women's voices and experimental forms while questioning established literary canons 🏆 The author has received numerous prestigious awards, including the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the Griffin International Poetry Prize, and the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize, informing her critical perspective in Coming After