ben lerner’s ‘the hatred of poetry’ explores paradoxical truths
A critical examination of poetry
Flavorwire’s review of Ben Lerner’s ‘The Hatred of Poetry’ offers valuable insight into this book-length essay. Reviewer Jonathan Sturgeon highlights its significance as a self-aware ars poetica from a major American writer, frequently compared to Whitman. The essay probes the disappointments and inherent limitations within the art of poetry, raising questions about the hype surrounding contemporary poets and their potential for genuine innovation.
The poet's internal struggle
Lerner's observations on the writing process – the complex interplay of a poet's mind, imagination, and emotions – resonate deeply with anyone familiar with the craft. He captures that familiar feeling of deflation and inadequacy that many poets experience after extensive revision, that sense of having poured everything into a poem only to find it lacking. This feeling of a sudden loss of inspiration is a central theme of the work.
Launching pad: marianne moore’s “poetry”
The essay cleverly uses Marianne Moore’s iconic poem, “Poetry” (beginning with the provocative line “I, too, dislike it”), as a springboard for a more expansive exploration. Moore's initial rejection of poetry sets the stage for Lerner’s own investigation into the pitfalls of seeking transcendence through verse. It’s a clever and unexpected starting point for a discussion of artistic ambition and its inevitable compromises.
The allure and limitations of transcendence
Lerner argues that poetry often arises from a desire to escape the confines of the finite and historical—the realm of human conflict and difference—and to reach something transcendent or divine. However, the inherent limitations of language immediately complicate this ambition. The moment a poet attempts to translate that transcendent impulse into a poem, the “song of the infinite” is inevitably diminished by the tangible reality of words.
Dream versus reality
The text draws a compelling distinction between the boundless possibilities of dreams and the constraints of waking life. In a dream, verses can defy time, words can shed their conventional meanings, and one can even represent the unrepresentable. Yet, upon returning to the human world—to “friends around the fire”—poets are confronted with the inflexible laws of logic and language. This highlights the tension between aspiration and execution in poetry.
Re-examining established ideas
While the core ideas explored in ‘The Hatred of Poetry’ aren’t entirely new, Lerner’s approach offers a fresh perspective on them. His work encourages a re-examination of the relationship between poetic ambition and the limitations of language, prompting readers to consider the inherent paradoxes within the art form. It’s a worthwhile read for anyone interested in the complexities of creating and experiencing poetry, and whether its promises are ever truly fulfilled.