The Wilds of Poetry: Adventures in Mind and Landscape

In my old age, I’m rediscovering the poets of my youth thanks to David Hinton’s clearly written, insightful story of classic Chinese poetry’s influence on 20th Century American poetry. Robinson Jeffers! Ezra Pound! William Carlos Williams! Kenneth Rexroth! Gary Snyder! W. S. Merwin! The ancient Chinese recluse poets of “mountain and rivers” persuasion would welcome them and all the other poets discussed in this book with open arms (and undoubtedly with a good deal of wine, as well). Hinton, one of America’s greatest translators of classic Chinese poetry, demonstrates with attention-getting examples how American poets and poetry benefitted from powerful Chinese influences that filtered into American culture beginning in the last half of the 19th Century. In simple language, he concisely explains the nature of the awe-inspiring Taoist and Ch’an Buddhist concepts that came to dominate the finest poetry and other arts in ancient China and how those concepts found their way into American poetry. It’s been a very long time since I had a book educate me and entertain me in equal amounts! If you love American poetry, this book is a pleasure and a must-read.

Though the collection is made up entirely of male poets, I felt this was a spectacular anthology. Hinton's brief but comprehensive introduction sets the stage for the mostly excellent verse that follows. Some of the poets will be familiar to readers of Western Taoist verse, like Whitman, Williams, Rexroth, Jeffers, and Snyder. But it was new poets I hadn't read yet who made this collection for me, especially Larry Eigner. The Wilds of Poetry has something for everyone. Highly recommended.

This is an interesting exploration of several major poets with an essay followed by a selection of poems. Some of the essays are more incisive and helpful than others; some are dense and rather dull. When Hinton writes about the importance of the poem/poet and gives background and analysis in plain language, he is at his best. However, at times he slips into academic jargon and forgets the goal of his book. I still learned at lot about the poets and I am well read and have taught poetry for many years. Not a book for those readers looking for an unbiased view of the development of American poetry, but more to the taste of experienced poetry readers who need a refresher course in how we got from Walt Whitman to the present.

Looks at how Chinese poets influenced modern poetry. Hinton is consistently brilliant.

One dimensional in its choice of writers to analyze. 2021. The author needs to broaden his perspective. The world is a multi-verse.

I love this book

I do not read a lot of poetry, but I am very interested in the relation between Western and Chinese thought and this is an exciting avenue into that relationship. All of David Hinton's latest works- Hunger Mountain, Existence, and now the Wilds of Poetry- stay at the top of my reading and re-reading list.

Very disappointing. David Hinton's translations and his commentary on Chinese poetry are exceptional. His selections of poetry in this volume are surprisingly uninspiring.

A beautiful and fascinating book. Exquisite poetry with an interesting background.

Engaging reflection on the value of an un-mediated expression of connecting with creation. Reminded me of how dee.ply i relate to phenomenology and the work of Merlau Ponty and the writing of David Abram in the Spell of the Sensuous.

wonderful book ...delivered perfectly