More erudite, head-scratching verse from the dean of American poets in Where Shall I Wander. Sample Verse ''A lifeboat almost swamped by shrugs, your famous kisser/now floats over all American cities like a drapeau.'' Token Topical Poem From ''Capital O'': ''...let there be more commotion/less avian flu.'' Bottom Line John Ashbery's oeuvre is not unlike Paris Hilton's: To tease concrete meaning out of it can lead to frustration. But he's much, much smarter, and you often get swept up in his stream of wordplay and imagery.


Add your comment
The rules: Keep it clean, and stay on the subject or we might delete your comment. If you see inappropriate language, e-mail us. An asterisk * indicates a required field.