Something Close to Music

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This book presents poetry by Ashbery (1927-2017) from his later collections alongside contemporaneous art writing. It also includes "playlists" featuring music from Ashbery's own collection, reflecting his love for music while writing. His poetry is often described as ekphrastic; however, instead of merely being inspired by art or music, Ashbery engages with the experience of seeing and the artistic strategies involved, offering new ways to contemplate both. Insights from his art writing provide keys to interpreting his poetry. The music he favored often includes contemporary classical works characterized by complex textures and disjunct phrases, mirroring the qualities found in his poetry. Ashbery's work plays with diverse poetic textures and sudden shifts, allowing readers to construct multiple narratives and meanings. He rarely presents linear stories or focuses solely on evocative descriptions. This exploration invites readers to see how poetry, art, and music illuminate and inform each other in Ashbery's work. In the introduction by Mónica de la Torre, she delves into the connection between these three muses and the ekphrastic experience of engaging with Ashbery's poetry.