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Collects twelve critical essays on Berryman’s poetry, representing a variety of approaches. Contains a good index, a chronology, and a bibliography. Haffenden, John.
‘The Ball Poem’ by John Berryman is a surprisingly complex poem about growing up and losing things one cares about. In the first lines of this poem, the speaker begins by describing, in very simple language, a child who loses a ball he’s playing with.
Type of work: Poetry. The best example of Berryman’s early style, this volume’s poems are solidly written and of good quality but derivative.
John Berryman’s ‘Henry’s Understanding’ is a wonderful and haunting example of his work in the confessional poetry movement. This movement emerged in the US in the 1950 and is a branch of postmodernism. It is incredibly personal in nature, often making use of first-person narrators. The poems include intimate details about the poets ...
‘Dream Song 29’ by John Berryman is a reality-bending exploration into the mind of “Henry” a terribly sad and troubled man. Throughout this short poem, Berryman’s speaker describes Henry’s depression as a weight on his heart that he can’t get rid of.
This paper aims at exploring the theme of self-criticism in selected poems by the American poet, John Berryman. In both "Homage to Mistress Bradstreet" and "Dream Song", Berryman uses Bradstreet and Henry as a personae to construct an image of himself and his society in modern times.
Analysis (ai): This poem captures a scene of three men traversing a winter landscape. It is distinct from the author's other works in its focus on a specific moment in time, rather than broader historical or philosophical themes.
