Blue Hour Poems
Blue Hour Poems by Carolyn Forche, published by HarperCollins on March 16, 2004, is a reprint edition comprising 96 pages in English. This collection explores themes of memory and existence, drawing inspiration from the elusive nature of presence as articulated by the German poet Novalis. The longest poem, “On Earth,” presents a unique transcription of the transition from life to death, structured as an abecedary and influenced by ancient gnostic hymns.
Readers will encounter a voice that embodies both youth and age, reflecting a deep engagement with the complexities of experience. The poems, including “Nocturne” and “Blue Hour,” delve into the act of remembering, capturing the tension between vivid recollections and their inherent elusiveness. The collection invites contemplation on the interplay of memory and the desire for renewal, offering insights into the human condition through its poetic form.
Official synopsis Publisher
“Blue Hour is an elusive book, because it is ever in pursuit of what the German poet Novalis called ‘the [lost] presence beyond appearance.’ The longest poem, ‘On Earth,’ is a transcription of mind passing from life into death, in the form of an abecedary, modeled on ancient gnostic hymns. Other poems in the book, especially ‘Nocturne’ and ‘Blue Hour,’ are lyric recoveries of the act of remembering, though the objects of memory seem to us vivid and irretrievable, the rage to summon and cling at once fierce and distracted.
“The voice we hear in Blue Hour is a voice both very young and very old. It belongs to someone who has seen everything and who strives imperfectly, desperately, to be equal to what she has seen. The hunger to know is matched here by a desire to be new, totally without cynicism, open to the shocks of experience as if perpetually for the first time, though unillusioned, wise beyond any possible taint of a false or assumed innocence.”
— Robert Boyers
FAQ
What is “Blue Hour Poems” about?
Who is the author of “Blue Hour Poems”?
When was “Blue Hour Poems” published?
What is the ISBN for “Blue Hour Poems”?
What are the book details (language, pages, edition)?
