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Kenneth Patchen

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American writer and poet (1911-1972)

Person · Open Library

Born
1911
Died
1972
Works
90

Top works

  • The poetry of the Negro, 1746-1970
  • The Memoirs of a Shy Pornographer
  • Love poems
  • At the new year
  • Red wine & yellow hair

via Open Library + Wikidata

Music · MusicBrainz

Type
Person
Gender
Male
Country
United States
Active from
1911
Active to
1972

via MusicBrainz · CC0

Listeners · Last.fm

Listeners
2,260
Total plays
15,563

Tags

poetrypoetbeat poetjazzspoken word

Kenneth Patchen On December 13, 1911, Kenneth Patchen was born in Niles. A poor boy throughout his childhood, he spent his time playing football and working in a factory. He enjoyed publishing in his school newspaper, kept a diary from the age of twelve, and began reading Homer, Dante, Shakespeare, Robert Burns, and Herman Melville. After high school, he moved to Wisconsin and attended Alexander Meiklejohn's Experimental College for one year and then the University of Wisconsin. <a href="htt

via Last.fm · Kenneth Patchen

Quotes

  • You, the woman; I, the man; this, the world: And each is the work of all.
  • You, the sought for; I, the seeker; this, the search: And each is the mission of all. For greatness is only the drayhorse that coaxes The built cart out; and where we go is reason. But genius is an enormous littleness, a trickling Of heart that covers alike the hare and the hunter.
  • You, the village; I, the stranger; this, the road: And each is the work of all. Then, not that man do more, or stop pity; but that he be Wider in living; that all his cities fly a clean flag... We have been alone too long, love; it is terribly late For the pierced feet on the water and we must not die now.
  • Have you wondered why all the windows in heaven werebroken?Have you seen the homeless in the grave of God'shand?Do you want to acquaint the larks with the fatuousmusic of war?
  • O my love my dear ladyThe world is not very bigThere is only room for our wonderAnd the light leaning winds of heavenAre not more sweet or pureThan your mouth on my throatO my love there are larks in our morningAnd the finding flame of your handsAnd the moss on the bank of the riverAnd the butterfliesAnd the whirling-madButterflies!
  • As we are so wonderfully done with each otherWe can walk into our separate sleepon floors of music where the milkwhite cloak of childhoodlies

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Wikidata facts

Image
Kenneth Patchen portrait au chat.jpg
Show 2 more facts
date of birth
1911-12-13
date of death
1972-01-08
Sources (4)

via Wikidata · CC0

Available in 7 languages

via Wikidata sitelinks · CC0

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