The Bow and the Lyre

<p>In <i>The Bow and the Lyre</i> Octavio Paz one of the most important poets writing in Spanish presents his sustained reflections on the poetic phenomenon and on the place of poetry in history and in our personal lives. It is written in the same prose style that distinguishes <i>The Labyrinth of Solitude</i>. <i>The Bow and the Lyre</i> will serve as an important complement to Paz's poetry.</p> <p>Paz's discussions of the different aspects of the poetic phenomenon are not limited to Spanish and Spanish American literature. He is almost as apt to choose an example from Homer Vergil Blake Whitman Rimbaud as he is from Lope de Vega Jiménez Darío Neruda. In writing these essays he draws on his vast storehouse of knowledge revealing a world outlook of ample proportions. In reading these essays we share the observations of a searching original highly cultivated mind.</p>