Lewis Turco Criticism
Lewis Turco, born in 1934, is a distinguished American poet, playwright, essayist, and editor renowned for his mastery of traditional poetic forms. His seminal works, Awaken, Bells Falling: Poems 1959–1967 and The Inhabitant, exemplify his skillful use of structure and thematic depth. Turco’s poetry is noted for its quiet, often somber perspective, where acceptance and acknowledgment of life’s darker realities are met with compassion and precision. His work frequently captures the extraordinary within the ordinary, employing a language that resonates with the music of daily events, as observed by critics such as Hyatt H. Waggoner and David G. McLean. Waggoner highlights Turco's adherence to Modernist traditions, avoiding the confessional approach and instead focusing on timeless artistic verities. Meanwhile, McLean praises his dedication to classical form and craftsmanship, particularly in The Inhabitant, which explores themes of inspiration and rebirth. William Heyen views "The Inhabitant" as a culmination of Turco's poetic evolution, showcasing a blend of metaphorical depth and emotional resonance. Furthermore, Dickinson-Brown commends Turco's innovative use of syllabic verse in The Weed Garden, while Felix Stefanile appreciates his precision in capturing the human condition, suggesting a potential return to the inspiration evident in earlier works like Pocoangelini: A Fantography. Turco's body of work reflects a profound engagement with existence, marked by an enduring commitment to the craft of poetry.
Contents
-
The 'Formalism' of Lewis Turco: Fluting and Fifing with Frosted Fingers
(summary)
In the following essay, Hyatt H. Waggoner analyzes Lewis Turco's preservation of Modernist traditions and his poetic evolution, highlighting his adherence to the timeless verities of art, his influences from Emerson, and his avoidance of confessional poetry, noting the transformative power and vision in Turco's work.
-
The Progress of Lewis Turco
(summary)
In the following essay, William Heyen examines Lewis Turco's poetic evolution, highlighting "The Inhabitant" as a culmination of Turco's growth, showcasing a blend of metaphoric depth and emotional complexity by allowing subjects to exist independently, and marking a shift from didactic beginnings to a more profound engagement with themes of existence and consciousness.
-
David G. McLean
(summary)
In the following essay, David G. McLean discusses Lewis Turco's dedication to the classical virtues of form and craftsmanship in poetry, contrasting it with the prevailing neo-romantic and Emersonian traditions, and examines how Turco's collection The Inhabitant embodies these principles while exploring themes of inspiration and rebirth.
-
Lewis Turco's Best Book of Poems
(summary)
In the following essay, Dickinson-Brown critiques Lewis Turco's poetry collection The Weed Garden, lauding its innovative use of syllabic verse and thematic exploration of human-nature dichotomies while noting its cryptic profundity and occasional overindulgence in language play, suggesting Turco's evolving poetic vision is both intriguing and imperfectly realized.
-
Felix Stefanile
(summary)
In the following essay, the critic appreciates Lewis Turco's mastery of the English lyric tradition and his commitment to poetic craft, praising his precise language and ability to capture the human condition, while suggesting a return to the inspiration found in his earlier work, Pocoangelini: A Fantography.