Brianna Brubaker
Ann Hostetler – Intro to Literature
Biography Sketch of Kenneth Koch
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| Kenneth Koch |
Kenneth Koch, and American writer, was born on February 27, 1925 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Raised in a middle-class family, Koch was a talented student. Despite his poor eyesight, the military conscripted him in 1943, leading to Koch’s service in the Philippines until 1945. Returning to the U.S., he attended Harvard University and graduated in 1948 with an A.B.
Koch then moved to New York City, where he developed a style of writing that came to be categorized under the New York School of Poets. This distinction also included his friend John Ashberry, along with the poets Frank O’ Hara and James Schuyler. His first book of poems, Poems, was published in 1953. According to The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, “his mix of surreal imagery, slapstick humor, wide-ranging cultural allusiveness, and graceful lyricism revolted against the prevailing literary formalism of the day.” His time spent in France in the early 1950s resulted in poems mimicking the confusing wash of language he experienced there.
Many of Koch’s early works were humorous and poked fun at more traditional and formal poetry. His mock epic, Ko; or, A Season on Earth, was loosely modeled on the work Don Juan, and traced the path of a Japanese student pitching for the Dodgers. Demonstrating further irreverence, Koch imitated one of William Carlos William’s most famous poems, “This is Just to Say,” creating a delightfully funny poem for his readers.
Branching out from the world of poetry, Koch had been writing plays with some consistency throughout his carrier, and they began to receive national recognition. Some plays appeared on Broadway, including the play One-Thousand Avant-Garde Plays. This collection poked fun at the avant-garde plays that often appear on Broadway. Next, he taught both children and older adults how to write poetry, resulting in two books: Rose, How Did You Get the Red and I Never Told Anybody: Teaching Poetry Writing to Old People. Koch experienced more critical acclaim and affirmation towards the end of this life. His book New Addresses was a finalist for the National Book Award. Koch died in 2002 of leukemia.
New Addresses contains a style that is both humorous and serious. By using the form of a letter throughout the book, Koch opens up new ground for himself. Although he explores topics he has already covered in other books, such as sexuality, he also brings his childhood into the light, which does not appear in his other books. He also dealt with another untouched part of his life, his service in the military. As Koch said in an interview, “I was very surprised to find myself writing about these subjects. I was happy to find a way to write them” (“New Addresses”). Koch may have sensed that his life was coming to its later days, as two of his pomes allude to the end of life, “To Breath” and “To Old Age.” “To Breath” is especially poignant, as it entreats Breath to remain with the author until he has completed all the work that he wants to share with the world. This book is considered one of his most complex and prestigious works, and it interacts with the reader on a deep level.
Koch’s Books of Poetry
1953: Poems
1959: Ko, or, A Season on Earth
1961: Permanently
1962: Thank You and Other Poems
1968: Poems From 1952 and 1953
1969: The Pleasures of Peace and Other Poems, Sleeping With Women, When the Sun Tries to Go On
1975: The Art of Love
1979: From the Air, The Burning Mystery of Anna in 1951
1982: Days and Nights
1986: On the Edge
1987: Seasons on Earth
1994: On the Great Atlantic Railway: Selected Poems 1950-88, One Train
2000: New Addresses
Works Cited
“Kenneth Koch.” The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives. Charles Schribner’s Sons, 2004. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 16 Nov. 2011.
Leddy, Michael. “New Addresses.” World Literature Today 74.4 (2000): 819. Gale Biography in Context. Web. 16 Nov. 2011.
“NEW ADDRESSES.” Publishers Weekly 27 Mar. 200: 71. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 16 Nov. 2011.
“Selected Websites on Kenneth Koch’s Life and Works.” Gale Biography in Context. Detroit: Gale, 2008. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 16 Nov. 2011.
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