Collected Poems of Lenore Kandel Kandel, Lenore by Kandel, Lenore; , Prima, Diane Di

Collected Poems of Lenore Kandel Kandel, Lenore — photo 1

Occult Philosophy

Collected Poems of Lenore Kandel Kandel, Lenore

Name: Collected Poems of Lenore Kandel Kandel, Lenore
Price: 35.00 USD
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Author: Kandel, Lenore; , Prima, Diane Di
ISBN: 9781583943724

Kandel, Lenore; , Prima, Diane Di

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📚 ABOUT THE BOOK

Uncover the raw, sacred fire of Lenore Kandel's verse, a vital voice from the Beat generation's heart.

This essential collection finally gathers the powerful, often provocatively sensual, poetry of Lenore Kandel. Though immortalized by Kerouac and deeply entwined with the Beat and countercultural movements, Kandel was an extraordinary lyricist in her own right, blending Zen insights with an uninhibited celebration of both sacred and carnal love. Featuring 80 works, many previously unreleased or found only in scarce publications, this volume showcases her artistic evolution from explicit "holy erotica" to more contemplative reflections on the "divine animal" within. It's a crucial re-evaluation of a poet who richly deserves wider recognition.

Key themes

Sacred Sensuality Human's Wild Spirit Counterculture's Poetic Voice

🕯️ Occult Philosophy

🏛 North Atlantic Books 📅 2012 📖 264 pages 📔 Hardcover 📐 Hardcover ISBN: 9781583943724

Fun fact

This collection is an overdue revelation, finally granting Lenore Kandel her rightful place among the era's most compelling poets. It masterfully showcases her evolution, from fiercely explicit celebrations of the body to nuanced explorations of the spirit. While those seeking only conventional verse might be unsettled, readers open to a powerful, unvarnished feminine voice that fuses the sacred and profane will find profound resonance here. A vital addition to any serious poetry collection.

📝 Description: Collected Poems of Lenore Kandel Kandel, Lenore

Jack Kerouac immortalized her in his novel Big Sur. A student of Zen, she hung out with Gary Snyder and Allen Ginsberg and was a speaker at San Francisco's Human Be-In. But Lenore Kandel was no muse or hanger-on; she was a brilliant lyric poet, often unabashedly erotic, and that's where her legacy lies. Collected Poems of Lenore Kandel contains 80 examples of her art, from the "holy erotica" of her early years to later, more contemplative works. Many of the poems have never been published, others only in rare ephemeral publications. Some are explicit, celebrating carnal love as part of the divine. Others are humorous and cover more quotidian subjects. A recurring theme is the "divine animal" duality. The collection includes poems written from the early fifties up until Kandel's death. The paradox of Lenore Kandel is that despite her prodigious talent, she was one of the least read and critically appreciated of modern poets. Kandel found her voice at a time when the Beat era was giving way to the countercultural age, and though she straddled both eras, it meant that she also fell through the cracks in terms of recognition. Now for the first time the full range of her work appears in one volume.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.5/5

★★★★★

If you seek poetry that dares to be both carnal and sacred, if you're drawn to the unfiltered voices of the Beat and countercultural eras, or if you appreciate overlooked literary brilliance, this collection offers profound insights and exhilarating verse. Prepare to be awakened.

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❓ Frequently asked questions

Absolutely not. While she was part of their circle, this collection unequivocally establishes Kandel as a formidable poet in her own right, whose distinct voice and thematic depth stand independently of her male counterparts.

Kandel's singular style, often explicit and ahead of its time, coupled with her position straddling two cultural epochs, meant her work was frequently overlooked. This collection finally rectifies that historical oversight, making her full range accessible.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Sacred Sensuality

Kandel fearlessly explores the intertwining of physical desire and spiritual awakening. Her poetry often elevates carnal acts to a divine expression, challenging conventional notions of piety by finding sacredness within the body's most intimate experiences, echoing tantric or Gnostic perspectives.

Human's Wild Spirit

A core motif in Kandel's work is the inherent tension and harmony between our primal instincts and our higher consciousness. She delves into the animalistic nature of humanity, celebrating its untamed aspects while seeking to integrate them with spiritual understanding, recognizing the sacred in our wildness.

Counterculture's Poetic Voice

Emerging from the Beat generation and flowing into the countercultural era, Kandel's voice embodies the rebellious spirit and spiritual quest of her time. Her poems reflect the era's experimentation, search for authentic experience, and rejection of societal norms, offering a unique feminine perspective on these transformative movements.

💬 Quotes from the book

“My body, a temple where lust meets grace, / and every touch a prayer to the wild within.”

“The city hums, but deep in my bones, the ancient beast stirs, / seeking moonlight, seeking truth beyond pavement.”

📜 Historical context

Kandel's work blossoms during a pivotal period, bridging the Beat Generation's raw intellectualism and the burgeoning counterculture's spiritual and social liberation. Her unique blend of Zen philosophy and unapologetic eroticism places her firmly within a lineage of visionary poets who challenged conventions, from mystical Romantics to the American Transcendentalists, yet she forged a distinctly modern path.

📚 Glossary

Holy Erotica
Divine Animal
Counterculture

📔 Questions to reflect on

How might Kandel's concept of "holy erotica" challenge or expand your own understanding of spirituality and physical intimacy?
Reflect on the "divine animal" within yourself. In what ways do your primal instincts and higher consciousness interact?
Considering Kandel's struggle for recognition, how does society often overlook or undervalue artistic voices that defy easy categorization?