In the Odes is Neeli Cherkovski’s homage to two of the most important influences in his career as a poet, Confucius and Ezra Pound. A mature look, as well as a poetic inventory and self-examination, of what it has meant for Cherkovski to be a poet immersed in the natural world. As Pound looked to Confucius, Cherkovski examines his own work in the light of the 20th century master’s debt to the Confucian tradition.
In the Odes is Neeli Cherkovski’s homage to two of the most important influences in his career as a poet, Confucius and Ezra Pound. A mature look, as well as a poetic inventory and self-examination, of what it has meant for Cherkovski to be a poet immersed in the natural world. As Pound looked to Confucius, Cherkovski examines his own work in the light of the 20th century master’s debt to the Confucian tradition.
Neeli Cherkovski (July 1, 1945–March 19, 2024) was a poet and memoirist. Cherkovski’s numerous books of poetry include Animal, Elegy for Bob Kaufman, Leaning Against Time, and the collection Elegy for My Beat Generation. He has also published biographies of Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Charles Bukowski, as well as a study of the American poetic tradition, Whitman’s Wild Children.
