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Bio

Frank O’Hara was born June 27, 1926 to Russell Joseph O’ Hara and Katherine Broderick. Although born in Maryland, his parents soon moved and Frank’s early years were spent in Grafton, Massachusetts. In addition to the move, he attended St. John’s Preparatory school in Shrewsbury (Worcester Diocese) which his father approved of (himself having attended the nearby College of the Holy Cross.)

From an early age it became clear that Frank had a love for the arts, an interest he pursued in the form of music. A fan of contemporary music, he studied piano at The New England Conservatory in Boston for three years (1941-1944.) Following his graduation from high school, Frank put his musical interests aside and joined the Navy to serve as a sonar man on the “USS Nicholas” in the South Pacific and Japan. Following his service in the war, Frank made use of his GI Bill and attended Harvard University where he resumed his musical interests.

Frank initially majored in Music at Harvard (for he never did stop playing the piano) however the visual art and contemporary music of the time pushed him to explore other modes of expression-namely- poetry. He began writing impulsively during his spare time (a method he would prefer above all others for the remainder of his life) but it wasn’t until he met fellow poet John Ashbery that he began getting his works published (The Harvard Advocate being the first to put him on print) and taking his work more seriously. Following his early successes, Frank would change his major from Music to English earning his bachelors from Harvard in 1950, and his masters in English from the University of Michigan a year later.

After earning his masters in English, Frank would move to New York City where he found work at the Museum of Modern art (first working at the front desk, and later becoming assistant curator.) During this time, Frank also found work as a reviewer for “ARTnews Magazine” and began gaining considerable attention as one of several “New York Movement” poets who were working together at the time (many of them having been introduced by Frank to one another.) The movement would go on to take a major hit July 24^th, 1966 when Frank O’Hara was struck by a man driving a beach vehicle (some accounts read Jeep, others say dune buggy) on Fire Island. He died at the age of only 40 years old, and was buried at Green River Cemetery on Long Island.

Works written in his lifetime

A City Winter and Other Poems. Two Drawings by Larry Rivers. (New York: Tibor de Nagy Gallery Editions, 1951)

Oranges: 12 pastorals. (New York: Tibor de Nagy Gallery Editions, 1953; New York: Angel Hair Books, 1969)

Meditations in an Emergency. (New York: Grove Press, 1957; 1967)

Second Avenue. Cover drawing by Larry Rivers. (New York: Totem Press in Association with Corinth Books, 1960)

Odes. Prints by Michael Goldberg. (New York: Tiber Press, 1960)

Lunch Poems. (San Francisco, CA: City Lights Books, The Pocket Poets Series (No. 19), 1964)

Love Poems (Tentative Title). (New York: Tibor de Nagy Gallery Editions, 1965)

Moods

Catchy-

The Sun woke me this morning loud
and clear, saying "Hey! I've been
trying to wake you up for fifteen
minutes. Don't be so rude, you are
only the second poet I've ever chosen
to speak to personally…

-The opening to “A True Account of Talking to the Sun on Fire Island”

Wet-

Wet heat drifts through the afternoon…/We are sick of living and afraid that death will not be by water, o sea…/selfsame pools of trefoil…/when the summer’s gong of the day and the night slithers towards their sweat…/do they mistake these fresh drops for tears?/

-“Ann Arbor Variations”

Alone at night in the wet city…

-Opening to “1951”

…that proud cur at the garbage can in the rain…

-“Homosexuality”

Wanting-

“It’s a summer day, and I want to be wanted more than anything else in the world.”

-The ending to” Homosexuality”

I understand the boredom of the clerks…/do you remember?/ You have left me to the sewer's meanwhile, and I have answered the sea's open wish to love me as a bonfire's watchful hand…

-“A City Winter”

Instructive-

Mothers of America let your kids go to the movies…

-“Ave Maria”

I’ve got to tell you how I love you always...

-“Morning”

Run your finger along your no-moss mind that’s not a thought, that’s soot.

-“Song (is it dirty)”

Internal-

I know so much
about things, I accept
so much, it's like
vomiting. And I am
nourished by the
shabbiness of my
knowing so much
about others and what
they do, and accepting
so much that I hate
as if I didn't know
what it is, to me.
And what it is to
them I know, and hate.

-“Spleen”

Style

Frank O’Hara was a member of the New York School of poetry. Drawing off of the contemporary art of the time (which itself was feeding off of the surrealist movement) the NY School of poetry tended to be best described as light, observational, and with a tendency to be written in a stream of consciousness style. Beginning in his college years, and continuing for the rest of his life, Frank preferred to write his poems on the spur of the moment. As a result, many of his poems tended to sound like outright conversations with himself. In “Personism: A Manifesto” Frank O’Hara stresses that he isn’t the biggest fan of things like rhythm or assonance, and that for something like poem-writing it is best to “…just go on nerve.” Reading his writings it is clear to see that this is the approach he took to his own poems, as well as those of fellow NY poets.

Fellow Poets

Ron Padgett is a follower of the New York School of poetry, although he was too young to have been involved with the core of Frank’s NYC poets. His style is very reminiscent of Frank’s internal conversations with himself, and he regularly addresses the reader as a part of his internal decision making. His poem “Night Jump” is a clear example of the different parts of Frank’s writing that most interest him.

“Night Jump”

At night Chinamen jump
on Asia with a thump

Who but Frank O’Hara
could have written that?
and then gone on to speak of
love and something he calls grace.
To start out so funny
and end up with mystery and grace —
we should all be so lucky.

Fellow Poets

Frank O’Hara was influenced by French Surrealists the likes of Raymond Roussel. Roussel himself was a French poet and novelist who did not gain much attention until after his passing. O’Hara as well as many other members of the NY school favored wit and humor for which Roussel was known for in his own writings. His works were packed with double meanings and regularly made use of this in his own verses.

Frank O’ Hara was also influenced by the French poet Jean Nicolas Arthur Rimbaud. Rimbaud himself was part of the Decadent movement in France which stressed themes like sexuality, liberty, and (of course) decadence. His writings impacted on the younger version of O’Hara who was trying to decide on writing or music during his college years. Although it is not explicitly mentioned when Frank came out about his own sexuality, it is known that Rimbaud’s history is very much tied to that of his mentor Paul Verlaine with whom he had an affair (that scandalized many fellow Parisians.) Quite possible this poet’s own writings about his relationships and coming to terms with his own experiences may have initially attracted Frank to this style of writing as well.

Works Cited

Feldman, Alan. Frank O'Hara / by Alan Feldman. Boston : Twayne Publishers, c1979.

O'Hara, Frank, 1926-1966. Poems from the Tibor de Nagy editions, 1952-1966 : A city winter, Oranges, Love poems (tentative title) / Frank O'Hara. New York : Tibor de Nagy Editions, 2006.

www.frankohara.org

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