Kenneth Rexroth Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
Kenneth Rexroth (December 22, 1905 - June 6 1982) was an American poet. He was amongst the first poets in the United States to explore Japanese poetry traditions such as haiku and also was heavily influenced by jazz. Rexroth lead the "poetry renaissance" in San Francisco and was a recognized influence for the Beats although he latter became critical of the movement and tried to distance himself from the association. Rexroth's body of work, whether in poetry, essays, or journalism, reflects a profound interest and concern with the world politically, culturally, socially, and ecologically. The typical voice in Rexroth's verse is not unlike that of his favorite poet, Du Fu: sometimes righteously indignant with the iniqities of the world, sometimes finding exhilaration with just existing, but always wise, and deeply humane.Rexroth was born in South Bend, Indiana in 1905. His mother Delia died in 1916. He spent his teenage years as an art student, a soda jerk, and at many other odd jobs. He married a commercial artist from Chicago, Andree Dutcher. Together, he and Andree travelled up the West Coast for their honeymoon. Andree died from complications from epilepsy in 1940. A recurring theme throughout his poetry are meditative, yet very poignant observations about both his mother's and wife's deaths. He had two daughters, Mary and Katherine.
Rexroth was a remarkably learned man. Every year he read the entire Encyclopędia Britannica, "like a novel." In any of his books there can be found a wealth of knowledge ranging from political anarchism, painting, world religions, classical chinese literature, philosophy, and more.
He is also well known for writing The Love Poems of Marichiko. Rexroth at first claimed to have merely translated the poetry of a long dead Japanese poet. But soon it came out that he had actually written Love Poems. Instead of being scorned for lying, Rexroth was (and is) rightly recognized for his brilliance and enormous versatility as a poet for being able to accurately convey the feelings of someone from another gender, culture, and time period.
Rexroth was actively involved with helping Japanese American internees during the Second World War.
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