Analysis
Gerald Stern's poetry is characterized by its passionate rhetoric, engaging conversational tone, and surrealistic imagery. These elements align his work with the poetics of Walt Whitman, biblical poetry, and twentieth-century Spanish poets. Stern presents a poetic vision that is deeply connected to American life, weaving together themes of memory, history, and spirituality.
Rejoicings
Rejoicings captures the essence of Gerald Stern's work, introducing readers to the spiritual and intellectual tensions that define his poetry. Stern's poems often negotiate between high culture and natural spontaneity, as illustrated in "Immanuel Kant and the Hopi," where he writes:
I am going to write twenty poems about my ruined country, Please forgive me, my old friends,I am walking in the direction of the Hopi!I am walking in the direction of Immanuel Kant!I am learning to save my thoughts—likeone of the Dravidians—so that nothing willbe lost, nothing I tramp upon, nothing Ichew, nothing I remember.
In this collection, Stern challenges the neglect of emotion and experience in Western intellectual tradition and seeks a middle ground between mind and body, as shown in "By Coming to New Jersey." This "third world" of experience becomes a recurring theme in his work, filled with humble specifics that offer an alternative view of life.
Lucky Life
The publication of Lucky Life marked a turning point for Stern. The poems in this collection are expansive, capturing both the tragic and the humorous aspects of life. Stern uses a conversational tone, vivid imagery, and poetic repetition to create a modern, democratic poetry influenced by Whitman and the psalmists. The title poem, "Lucky Life," reflects on finding peace and happiness amidst life's challenges:
Lucky life isn’t one long string of horrors/and there are moments of peace, and pleasure, as I lie in between the blows.
The Red Coal
The Red Coal explores themes of memory, transformation, and the spiritual journey. Critics have noted the style as mannered, but the range of cultural references and emotional depth demonstrate Stern's wide cultural affinities. In "The Red Coal," Stern reflects on the formative experiences of his life:
Sometimes I sit in my blue chair trying to remember/what it was like in the spring of 1950/ before the burning coal entered my life.
These poems convey the poet's quest to reconcile his inner dialogues with the external world, embracing both the noble and the overlooked aspects of life.
Father Guzman
Father Guzman is a dramatic departure from Stern's earlier work, a poetic dialogue set in a South American jail. Through a conversation between a street urchin and a priest, Stern explores themes of oppression, ideology, and idealism. The poem captures Stern's recurring themes of justice, love, and the critique of greed, demonstrating his ability to weave history and psychology into his poetic tapestry.
Paradise Poems
In Paradise Poems, Stern refines his elegiac style, crafting formal tributes to influential figures such as W. H. Auden and Gil Orlovitz. The poems reflect on loss, memory, and the passage of time, as Stern grapples with the legacies of those who have shaped his life and work. "The Expulsion" poignantly addresses the theme of exile and the universal journey from paradise into history:
Our lives are merging, our shoes are not that different. The angel is rushing by,her lips are curled, there is a coldness, even a madness to her, Adam and Eve are roaring,the whole thing takes a minute, a few seconds, and we are left on somebody’s doorstep . . .
Lovesick
Lovesick presents Stern's reflections on love, life, and the burdens they bring. The poems explore the priority of life and the emotional weight of love, often blurring the...
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lines between sentimentality and truth. In "The Dog," Stern uses the persona of a deceased dog to challenge readers' perceptions of emotion and rationality, highlighting the need for mutual recognition and sympathy beyond human confines.
Bread Without Sugar
Bread Without Sugar solidifies Stern's reputation as a poet of sentiment and nostalgia. The poems blend personal, familial, and cultural ruminations, often through unexpected juxtapositions that energize the verse. Stern's elegiac reflections on the past continue to resonate, as he balances grief and joy, sentiment and reality, in a uniquely humanistic approach.
Everything Is Burning
In Everything Is Burning, Stern takes stock of his life's sensory experiences, transforming them into literary art. The collection showcases his engagement with life's immediacy and his political consciousness, as seen in "The Trent Lott, The MacNamara Blues," where anger and hope interweave in a call for contrition from politicians. Stern's poetry captures moments of reflection and self-awareness, offering glimpses into the complexities of his literary and personal journey.
Save the Last Dance
Save the Last Dance highlights Stern's reflective meditation on the past. The poems focus on loss and absence, with a distinct sense of lyricism and emotional immediacy. Stern's attention to his literary influences and friendships adds depth to his work, as he navigates the complexities of memory and the passage of time. "Rukeyser" and "One Poet" exemplify Stern's ability to weave personal and literary reflections into a poignant tapestry, capturing the essence of his poetic journey.
Stern's work remains a testament to the enduring power of poetry to capture the fullness of life, bridging the gap between sentiment and reality, nostalgia and modernity. His poetry continues to challenge and inspire, offering a unique perspective on the human experience that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.
