Pulitzer Prize Poetry Winner
Selected Poems
by Conrad Aiken
Summary
Drawn from a decade of work, the volume traces Aiken's preoccupations with consciousness, dream, and the divided self in long, symphonically organized sequences. His verse is deliberately musical, using recurrence, modulation, and tonal shading more than image to carry meaning. The book reflects his early absorption of Freud and his ambition to make a poetry of inward process.
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Historical Context & Significance
Aiken was a contemporary of T.S. Eliot at Harvard; his work is often praised for its verbal melody and philosophical depth regarding identity.