New Collected Poems of Marianne Moore

Marianne Moore was a famous poet who was also a leader in the art of poetry. Her work is difficult to edit due to her constant revision of her poems, making it challenging to create a stable text of her work. Heather Cass White has prepared an edition of Moore's poems that presents the full range of her work in its published order, honoring the complex textual lives of the poems and making it the first definitive text of this celebrated writer.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 480 pages
Publication date: 02 December 2021
Publisher: Faber & Faber

Marianne Moore was a rare and remarkable figure in the world of poetry, simultaneously achieving fame and recognition as a true leader in her craft. Her instantly recognizable presence symbolized Brooklyn, New York, appearing on the cover of Life magazine, being invited by the Ford Motor Company to christen their new family sedan, and even being asked by the New York Yankees to throw the opening pitch of their baseball season. Despite her immense popularity, however, Moore's dedication to constantly revising and reworking her own poems presented a significant challenge for editors throughout her career.

To address this issue, Moore took matters into her own hands. In 1967, she published Complete Poems, which was her own selection of her work. However, she favored the later pieces, including less than half of her output up to that point. It is important to note that Moore's omissions were not accidental, as she explicitly stated in that edition. She believed that the absence of more than one hundred poems constituted a deliberate neglect of her groundbreaking and highly influential early work, which contributed to her undervaluing as a modernist poet.

To rectify this oversight, Marianne Moore scholar Heather Cass White has undertaken the task of preparing an edition of poems that presents the full range of Moore's work in its published order, while simultaneously honoring the complex textual lives of the poems. The result is the New Collected Poems of Marianne Moore, the first definitive text of this most celebrated writer. As T.S. Eliot once remarked, Moore's poems form part of a small body of durable poetry written in our time.

In her introduction to this collection, White provides an insightful overview of Moore's life and career, highlighting the significant influences and inspirations that shaped her poetic vision. The meticulous notes accompanying each poem further enhance the reader's understanding and appreciation of Moore's artistic choices and techniques.

The New Collected Poems of Marianne Moore is a testament to Moore's enduring legacy as a poet. It showcases her remarkable talent, her unwavering dedication to her craft, and her ability to create poetry that resonates with readers for generations. This collection is a must-have for anyone interested in the world of poetry, and it serves as a valuable resource for scholars and enthusiasts alike.

Weight: 758g
Dimension: 158 x 233 x 39 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780571315345
Edition number: Main