A confounding tome ...

... The H.D. Book by Robert Duncan | Quarterly Conversation.

The book contains multitudes, and a critical discussion of it can begin nearly anywhere. What should we most urgently address when reading The H.D. Book? It must be said that writing an essay such as this one does the work a great disservice, limiting us to one or two facets of a seemingly endless array to examine. One could build a university on the learning between these covers. But bemoaning the limits of critical inquiry can only get us so far; it is enough to be aware of them. As such, I would like to focus on what I see as one of the general themes of the text: its engagement and critique of rational modes of thinking, and the place of poetry in critiquing such logic. Following this thematic thread, I hope, will also bring into focus Duncan’s relationship to his poetry.