Hold Bob Hicok: A Poetic Colossus of Our Time

Hold

by Bob Hicok

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1745 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	88 pages
Item Weight	:	1.32 pounds
Hardcover	:	352 pages
Dimensions	:	6 x 0.99 x 9 inches

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Bob Hicok is an American poet, essayist, and translator whose work has been praised for its originality, insight, and humor. He is the author of nine collections of poetry, including "The Legend of Light" (2009),which won the National Book Critics Circle Award, and "Elegy Owed" (2015),which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Hicok's work has been translated into more than a dozen languages and has been the subject of numerous critical studies.

Hicok was born in 1963 in Sterling, Illinois. He earned a B.A. from the University of Michigan and an M.A. from Johns Hopkins University. He has taught at several universities, including the University of Iowa, Washington University in St. Louis, and the University of Pittsburgh. He is currently a professor of English at Virginia Tech.

Hicok's Poetic Style

Hicok's poetry is characterized by its sharp wit, dark humor, and philosophical depth. He is a master of language, and his poems are often filled with unexpected turns of phrase and startling metaphors. Hicok's work is also deeply engaged with the world around him, and he often writes about social and political issues.

In his essay "The Poet as Citizen," Hicok argues that poets have a responsibility to speak out against injustice and to challenge the status quo. He writes: "The poet must be a witness to the world, and must speak the truth, even when it is unpopular."

Major Themes in Hicok's Poetry

Some of the major themes that run through Hicok's poetry include:

• The search for meaning in a meaningless world
• The power of language
• The importance of love and family
• The fragility of life
• The inevitability of death

Hicok's poetry is often dark and unsettling, but it is also full of hope and beauty. He is a poet who is unafraid to confront the harsh realities of life, but he also believes in the power of human resilience.

Critical Reception

Hicok has received widespread critical acclaim for his work. The New York Times called him "one of the most important poets of his generation." The Washington Post praised his "originality, insight, and humor." And the Los Angeles Times said that Hicok's poems "are essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the American experience."

In 2009, Hicok was awarded the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry for his collection "The Legend of Light." The award jury praised Hicok's "virtuosic language" and his "ability to find beauty in the most unlikely places."

Bob Hicok is one of the most important poets writing today. His work is original, insightful, and humorous, and it is deeply engaged with the world around him. Hicok is a poet who is not afraid to confront the harsh realities of life, but he also believes in the power of human resilience. His work is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the American experience.