Humble and sparse, yet unerringly true. Raymond Carver had a remarkable gift for making your heart stop with just one or two moments within the turning of a phrase. His writing was like a delicate thread that could weave emotions and experiences into a tapestry that was both profound and relatable.

Overall, I have a preference for his poetry over his prose. However, it must be said that his stories, such as "Cathedral" and others, are undeniably excellent. They have a power and a depth that can leave a lasting impression.

But it is his poetry that truly speaks to me. It has a way of reaching into the still, dry, and haunted places of my soul. In those quiet moments, when the world around me fades away, Carver's words come alive and offer a glimmer of understanding and connection. I don't think this will ever change. His poetry will always have a special place in my heart, a place where it can continue to whisper its truths and touch my spirit.

The poems presented here are of a very distinct style when compared to the ones you would "normally" come across.

They have a certain charm that makes them feel almost like fleeting thoughts in your head that come and go, yet leave an impression.

I found myself truly enjoying the poem about his father.

It had a quality that made it relatable, perhaps because it tapped into emotions and experiences that many of us can identify with.

The way the poet described his father and the relationship they shared was both touching and thought-provoking.

It made me reflect on my own relationships and the memories that we hold dear.

Overall, these poems offer a unique perspective and a different way of looking at the world through the eyes of the poet.

They are a refreshing departure from the ordinary and are well worth exploring.

I spent two years reading this edition of the collected poems of Raymond Carver. The reason was that I truly desired to relish and savor each and every poem.

I am extremely glad that I made that choice.

Carver's poems, at times an extension of his prose, have the power to evoke a sense of wonder within us regarding the ordinary and mundane aspects of life. They make us notice the gorgeousness that lies within a single moment. There is a palpable passion for living that permeates through his words. Even those darker poems, which deal with Carver's struggles with drinking, possess this underlying and profound desire to feel the beauty of the present moment - and this is truly remarkable.

These poems are the words of a man who had an abundance of love for his life. I found myself loving every single word that he wrote.

It was a journey of discovery and appreciation, and I will always cherish the time I spent with Raymond Carver's poems.

I have only recently become acquainted with the writings of Raymond Carver, who passed away at the age of 50 in 1988.

He is perhaps best known for his short stories, but I decided to explore a collection of his poetry that was assembled and published posthumously.

Prior to reading this volume, I was familiar with the poetry of Tess Gallagher, yet I was unaware that she was Carver's last wife.

She not only provides the Introduction to this work but also an extensive essay in the appendixes, which serves as an introduction to the final collection of Carver's poetry.

The book commences with earlier poems that are often unfiltered and at times vulgar.

Some of them mirror the perspectives of an alcoholic and the loss of relationships.

Other poems in this section stem from the author's travels, particularly in Europe.

Frequently, in these poems, he intertwines history with his own experiences.

Other travels lead him into the wilderness of the American West and on fishing expeditions.

One poem that格外 stood out to me was “To My Daughter,” where he cautions her that alcoholism runs in the family and warns her not to drink as she witnessed her parents do.

I discovered that the poems in the latter half of the book, written after he had given up drinking, were more充盈 with wonder and gratitude.

Here, there are even more poems set around the Pacific Northwest.

Fishing is a recurrent theme.

Mixed into this section are numerous poems by Anton Chekhov.

Scattered throughout the book are quotes and poems from other authors.

Carver also incorporates other authors into his poetry, such as Franz Kafka in “The Moon, The Train.”

As the reader approaches the “first” conclusion of the collection, the author is cognizant that he is living on borrowed time.

I had a sense of grace while reading these poems.

However, just because I reached the end of the collection did not signify that I had exhausted all the poems to read, as the first appendix contained a group of “uncollected poems” from No Heroics, Please.

His wife's essay at the end is also worthy of perusal as it provides profound insights into their life together and the last group of poems in this collection.

This is a substantial collection of poems.

I spent a month and a half reading through them, often before going to bed, sometimes reading a poem several times.

For those with an interest in poetry, this volume appears to me to be an essential read.

Yes, some of the poems, especially in the initial part of the book, can be rather raw, but that is also the case with life for many individuals.

As one persists in reading, one will also encounter grace, hope, and beauty.

There’s a sense

that I’ve lost—not everything,

not everything, but far too much.

A part of my life forever.

After that, I went on with my life. But

that memory would enter like a spike, jolting me back to the past.

The stars,

burning holes in the sky, becoming ash. Yes,

but it’s all right, they’re supposed to do that.

Those lights we call stars,

burn for a time and then die. I was hell-bent,

wishing it were tomorrow already.

[…] I was beginning to understand how it’s possible

to be in one place and someplace else, too.

There was a time

I would’ve died for love.

No more. That center wouldn’t hold.

It collapsed, giving off

no light. Its orbit

an orbit of weariness.

I remember the morning I closed the lid

on memory and turned the handle,

locking it away forever. Nobody knows what happened to me

out here, sea. Only you and I know.

The feeling of loss that gripped me then

grips me still. How can I communicate what I feel

about any of this? Suppose I say, summer,

write the word “hummingbird,”

put it in an envelope,

take it down the hill

to the box. When you open

my letter, you will recall

those days and how much,

just how much, I love you.

What strikes one about Carver's "stories in the form of poetry" is simplicity. The same spontaneity that was loved in his stories is found here in an even more direct and incisive form.

And so in reading, it seems to get to know the man Carver. From the boy who encounters writing and poetry almost casually to the Carver of the beautiful "Last Fragment."

"Last Fragment" which, after the more than three hundred poems in the volume, leaves in the reader a sense of gratitude for the journey in which one has been led page after page.

Carver's poetry has a unique charm. It strips away the unnecessary and gets to the heart of the matter. It is like a snapshot of a moment in time, capturing the essence of an emotion or a situation.

The simplicity of his language makes his poetry accessible to all, yet it also contains a depth and complexity that rewards multiple readings.

Whether he is writing about love, loss, or the everyday experiences of life, Carver's poetry speaks to the human condition in a way that is both profound and moving.

His work is a testament to the power of language and the ability of poetry to touch our hearts and souls.

It was an absolute delight to attend Ray's poetry symposium at UC Santa Cruz in the fall of 1973. I vividly remember him stating (I can only approximate his words) that he had a preference for writing fiction. However, he also emphasized that there are certain stories and characters that can only truly come alive when expressed through poetry. This might seem self-serving at first glance, but I firmly believe that a significant portion of my better poetry is a reflection of this early "instruction." The works within Raymond Carver's "All of Us: The Collected Poems" serve to validate this point.

I don't precisely recall when I first delved into this collection, although I know it was upon its initial release. As a result, I have recorded it as having been read in January 1998, approximately twenty-five years later. I eagerly anticipate this new edition and cannot recommend this collection highly enough. It is a treasure trove of literary gems that offer profound insights into the human condition and the power of language.

\\n  \\n

Still Raymond Carver, but different.

His works have always had a unique charm, and this new piece feels like delving into the hidden monologue of the men from his short stories.

As you read, you can almost hear their inner thoughts and emotions, the unspoken words that lie beneath the surface.

Carver's ability to capture the essence of human nature is truly remarkable.

He presents the lives of ordinary people in a way that makes them seem extraordinary, revealing the complex web of relationships and desires that drive them.

This new work continues in that vein, offering a deeper exploration of the male psyche.

It's a fascinating read that will keep you engaged from beginning to end, and leave you with a newfound appreciation for Carver's literary genius.

Whether you're a long-time fan or new to his work, this is a piece that you won't want to miss.

I wasn't entirely certain about the number of stars to assign to this book. The reason being that it leans more towards a compilation of his notes rather than traditional poetry, despite him referring to these works as his poems.

I have a great deal of admiration for Raymond Carver's short stories. Interestingly, many of the poems in this volume描绘 the exact same scenes as particular stories, right down to the dialogue of the characters. It's almost as if he is experimenting with stories in a sketchy format here and then fills in the complete picture in prose.

Additionally, he crafts numerous poems that directly replicate details from the Chekhov stories he held in high regard.

This collection does indeed make for enjoyable reading, but only if you are already captivated by Carver's prose. If you are not familiar with or don't have an appreciation for his writing style, you may find this collection a bit lacking. However, for those who are fans of Carver's work, it offers a unique perspective and an opportunity to see his creative process from a different angle.

Not counting found poems, such as taking some Chekhov prose and breaking it into lines to create a poem, I tallied 281 original Carver poems in this volume.

I marked 28 of them as extremely strong and worthy of rereading. That amounts to 10% of the poems. This percentage might not appear overly high. However, if I were to select only those 28 poems and compile them into a book, what an amazing book it would be.

Just for those poems alone, I'm delighted that I took the time - I dipped in and out of it for months - to read this book. Some of the poems are as powerful as some of Carver's finest fiction. But overall, he is a more talented short story writer.

It's interesting to note that while Carver is renowned for his short stories, his poetry also has its own charm and strength. The 28 poems that stood out to me offer a unique perspective into his creative mind.

Although the percentage of truly outstanding poems is relatively small, they are enough to make this collection a worthwhile read. It makes me wonder what other hidden gems might be waiting to be discovered in Carver's body of work.

Perhaps future readers will also find their own favorites among these poems and be inspired by Carver's unique style and voice.

In conclusion, while Carver's short stories may be his claim to fame, his poetry should not be overlooked. This collection serves as a reminder of his versatility as a writer and his ability to create powerful and moving works in different genres.

As I was perusing through the works of Carver, I came across this collection of poems. I was intrigued as his prose is quite good. However, his poems seem more like his prose. They convey the same interesting ideas, but lack rhyme or have very little of it. Ugh! Poetry without rhyme seems like the easy way out and is less impressive.

I wasn't sure if I had a collection of super-short stories or poems. They simply didn't feel like poetry to me.

Google states that "while free verse poems are not devoid of structure, they allow enormous leeway for poets." This "leeway" can sometimes hide a lack of talent in expressing ideas in verse, which is the more difficult form. The same idea presented in verse (which I define as something with rhyme) is always more challenging to achieve. That's why I can't truly appreciate this free "verse."

This collection does have a bit of verse, but not a significant amount. I could mainly take any short story section from Carver, divide it into smaller parts, and presto, it becomes this modern "poetry," which isn't really poetry in my opinion. It's a shame. The lack of rhyme just makes it insufficient. It would be better as prose, and I wouldn't have to go on this rant. For example, "Fear looks more like the average to-do list." What is that? It's not the best "poetry."

Here's my paragraph from the beginning, presented as "poetry":

As I was looking through things
Carver, I arrived
At this collection of poems, and,
I was curious,
His prose is good... his poems are more
Like his prose...
The same ideas
(Which are interesting), and
No rhyme, or very little.
Ugh.
Poetry without rhyme, the easy option, and
The less impressive.

I'm close to achieving a great level here. "Poetry" like this, this is All of Us.

Overall, the poetry I studied in school had verse (rhyme), and I can't (and won't choose to) let go of that.

This work truly had an incredible impact on me.

It made me experience a wide range of emotions simultaneously. There were moments that had me roaring with laughter, and then suddenly, it would tug at my heartstrings and bring tears to my eyes.

Moreover, it also made me deeply reflect on various aspects of life.

There are simply too many precious and thought-provoking lines or moments within it that it's impossible to quote them all here.

It's like a treasure trove of emotions and insights, and I'm so glad to have come across it.

It has left a lasting impression on me and will surely continue to do so for a long time to come.