Such Rare Citings. The Prose Poem in English Literature, The Prose Poem in English Literature

Such Rare Citings is the first full-length account of the British prose poem, its history, and status as a genre. Prose poetry is not a recognized literary form in England, where it remains largely unknown. This book not only aims to place British prose poetry within the larger literary framework, but also contributes to the discussion of what constitutes the genre, while posing the question: is there a discernible "British style"? The author examines the structure and style of prose poems together with texts that move toward or away from the form in order to locate and explain the genre's defining characteristics. Extending from the Romantic period to the twentieth century, Such Rare Citings offers analyses of prose poems by writers from Coleridge to Samuel Beckett. It uncovers the historical development of the genre in Britain, occasionally thwarted by writers themselves, and calls for inclusion in theoretical discussion and international anthologies.