Collected Essays

by Gottlieb, Michael

• ISBN13: 9781946104403
• ISBN10: 194610440X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2023-06-15
• Publisher: Chax Press

Summary

Essays on poetry, poetry movements, poetic ideas, history, and life, by one of the key poets of both language and NY poetry, over the last few decades. Michael Gottlieb’ s Socraticallycanted essays, all formally addressed to poets, should keep you up at night, even if you’ re not a poet. There are no answers here, only inquiries that increase exponentially by the asking. The questions Gottlieb pose range from the embarrassing (what might our responsibilities to other poets be?) to the confounding (what is the role of love in our work?). Each question opens out into more questions that should be considered, even meditated upon. “ I’ d argue,” he ventures, “ listening is the beginning.” The world has changed so much in the twelve years since the first of these writings were published but, still it seems, listening (wedded to an honest ask) may be the truest activism.

Author Biography

Michael Gottlieb is a poet and the author of twentythree books of poetry, essays and memoir. His latest book is Collected Memoirs, published by Chax Press in November, 01/01/2023. Collected Memoirs is published as the third volume in a uniform edition by Chax, joining Collected Essays (March 01/01/2023) and Selected Poems, (01/01/2021). Other recent titles include Mostly Clearing (Roof, 01/01/2019) What We Do: Essays for Poets (01/01/2016, Chax Press), I Had Every Intention (01/01/2014, Faux Editions), Dear All (01/01/2013, Roof Books), Letters to A Middle Aged Poet (01/01/2012, Otoliths), The Dust (2011, Roof Books), Memoir and Essay (01/01/2010, Faux/Other). A firstgeneration member of the Language Poetry school, he helped edit one of its foundational magazines, Roof. He was also the publisher of Case/Casement Books (19811999) and started the Last Tuesday multimedia performance series at La MaMa in NYC in the 1980s. Gottlieb was born in the Bronx and grew up in Westchester County, NY. He graduated from Bennington College where he studied poetry and painting. He’ s worked for a private detective agency and in business affairs for Warner Bros. Inc. He founded a start up and most recently served as Vice President, Digital Insight and Chief Research Expert for the global software company SAP. He divides his time between New York City and Connecticut.