Carl Rakosi (1903-2004), the longest-surviving of the legendary Objectivist Poets (though he had always some significant reservations about the usefulness of that tag) was born on this day (initially in Berlin, but, following his parents’ separation in 1904, moving to Hungary, and, subsequently, in 1910, immigrating with his father and stepmother to Kenosha, Washington).
A great American poet with a curious publishing history.
On Rakosi’s various publications – see here
and see a digest of the scholarship on him – here
In his early days in America he had a small amount of literary success (particularly after moving to New York). By the late 1920s, he was in correspondence with Ezra Pound, who prompted his friend, Louis Zukofsky to contact him. This led to his (Rakosi’s) “Objectivist” identity – inclusion in the all-important Objectivists issue of Poetry magazine (February, 1931) and in Zukofsky’s groundbreaking An “Objectivists” Anthology of the following year.
There was a flurry of work following these publications, and then, in 1934, Rakosi, somewhat abruptly, stopped publishing poems in literary magazines, devoting himself full-time to a career as a professional social worker.
In 1941 (yes, a full seven years later!) there appeared from New Directions a slim volume of Selected Poems, which, sadly, got little or no attention, and so with that, (and, following his failure to obtain a Guggenheim grant – he’d applied for a proposed study of the psychology of the poet), he made the momentous decision to officially give it all up, to abandon reading and writing poetry entirely.
He devoted himself from then on wholly to family life (he was married, at this point, with two young children), and to continuing his career as a social worker and family therapist.
No more poetry.
That might have been the end of it. There was, however, rather wonderfully, a second act.
A letter from the English poet Andrew Crozier about his early poetry was the trigger that started him writing again. His first book in 26 years (sic!), Amulet, was published by New Directions in 1967, although it consisted mostly of versions of his earlier poems. This was followed by a pleasing renewal of his poetic inspiration.
His Collected Poems was published in 1986 by the National Poetry Foundation, This had followed the publication three years earlier of his Collected Prose.
Following this, several more volumes, and readings across the United States and in Europe.
Admired and feted. A true humble survivor. Finally, a grand old age.
Colin Still‘s loving encounter (from 2002, an audience with a 98-year-old) reveals the sweetness and intelligence of the man:
Our 2023 (a photo-portfolio) – here
Here’s a recording of Rakosi reading and interviewed, back in 1971, on KPFA’s Ode To Gravity
Many Rakosi recordings (more invaluable materials) – here