Lola Ridge
Encyclopedia
Lola Ridge was an anarchist
poet and an influential editor of avant-garde
, feminist
, and Marxist
publications best remembered for her long poems and poetic sequences. She, along with other political poets of the early Modernist
period, has been coming under increasing critical scrutiny at the beginning of the 21st century.
and Australia
, and moved to the San Francisco in 1907.
Her first book, The Ghetto and Other Poems was published in 1918. The title poem portrays the Jewish community of Hester Street New York
, and deals with the effects of capitalism
, gender conflict and conflicts between generations on this immigrant community in ways that bear comparison to the works of Charles Reznikoff
. The book was a critical success and led to her involvement with avant-garde magazines such as Others
and Broom. Ridge went on to publish four more books of poetry.
October 22, 1919, she married David Laws
.
In 1929, she went to Yaddo
.
In 1935, she was a Guggenheim Fellow.
In 1936, she won the Shelley Memorial Award
.
Her papers are held at Smith College
.
in 1927, for which she was arrested. She also supported Tom Mooney
, and Warren Billings, who had been framed for a bombing at the Preparedness Day Parade
in San Francisco in 1916. Her third book, Red Flag 1927 collected much of her political poetry.
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
poet and an influential editor of avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
, feminist
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
, and Marxist
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
publications best remembered for her long poems and poetic sequences. She, along with other political poets of the early Modernist
Modernist poetry
Modernist poetry refers to poetry written between 1890 and 1950 in the tradition of modernist literature in the English language, but the dates of the term depend upon a number of factors, including the nation of origin, the particular school in question, and the biases of the critic setting the...
period, has been coming under increasing critical scrutiny at the beginning of the 21st century.
Life and writings
Ridge grew up in New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and moved to the San Francisco in 1907.
Her first book, The Ghetto and Other Poems was published in 1918. The title poem portrays the Jewish community of Hester Street New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and deals with the effects of capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
, gender conflict and conflicts between generations on this immigrant community in ways that bear comparison to the works of Charles Reznikoff
Charles Reznikoff
Charles Reznikoff was the poet for whom the term Objectivist was first coined. When asked by Harriet Munroe to provide an introduction to what became known as the Objectivist issue of Poetry, Louis Zukofsky provided his essay Sincerity and Objectification: With Special Reference to the Work of...
. The book was a critical success and led to her involvement with avant-garde magazines such as Others
Others: A Magazine of the New Verse
Others: A Magazine of the New Verse was founded by Alfred Kreymborg in July, 1915 with financing from Walter Conrad Arensberg. The magazine ran until July, 1919. It published poetry and other writing, as well as visual art. While the magazine never had more than 300 subscribers, it helped launch...
and Broom. Ridge went on to publish four more books of poetry.
October 22, 1919, she married David Laws
David Laws
David Anthony Laws is a British politician. He is Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Yeovil and former Chief Secretary to the Treasury....
.
In 1929, she went to Yaddo
Yaddo
Yaddo is an artists' community located on a 400 acre estate in Saratoga Springs, New York. Its mission is "to nurture the creative process by providing an opportunity for artists to work without interruption in a supportive environment."...
.
In 1935, she was a Guggenheim Fellow.
In 1936, she won the Shelley Memorial Award
Shelley Memorial Award
The Shelley Memorial Award of more than $3,500, given out by the Poetry Society of America, was established by the will of the late Mary P. Sears, and named after the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. The prize is given to a living American poet selected with reference to genius and need. The selection is...
.
Her papers are held at Smith College
Smith College
Smith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
.
Political activities
Although never a member of any political party, she protested against the execution of Sacco and VanzettiSacco and Vanzetti
Ferdinando Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were anarchists who were convicted of murdering two men during a 1920 armed robbery in South Braintree, Massachusetts, United States...
in 1927, for which she was arrested. She also supported Tom Mooney
Thomas Mooney
Thomas Joseph "Tom" Mooney was an American political activist and labor leader, who was convicted with Warren K. Billings of the San Francisco Preparedness Day Bombing of 1916...
, and Warren Billings, who had been framed for a bombing at the Preparedness Day Parade
Preparedness Day bombing
The Preparedness Day Bombing was a bombing in San Francisco, California on July 22, 1916, when the city held a parade in honor of Preparedness Day, in anticipation of the United States' imminent entry into World War I. During the parade a suitcase bomb was detonated, killing ten and wounding...
in San Francisco in 1916. Her third book, Red Flag 1927 collected much of her political poetry.
Quotation
- My doll Janie has no waist
- and her body is like a tub with feet on it.
- Sometimes I beat her
- but I always kiss her afterwards.
- When I have kissed all the paint off her body
- I shall tie a ribbon about it
- so she shan't look shabby.
- But it must be blue -
- it mustn't be pink -
- pink shows the dirt on her face
- that won't wash off.
- I beat Janie
- and beat her...
- but still she smiled...
- so I scratched her between the eyes with a pin.
- Now she doesn't love me anymore...
- she scowls... and scowls...
- though I've begged her to forgive me
- and poured sugar in the hole at the back of her head.
-
-
- -- from Sun-Up and Other Poems
-
Works
- The Ghetto, and Other Poems, Huebsch, 1918.
- Sun-Up, and Other Poems, Huebsch, 1920; Lightning Source Inc, 2008, ISBN 9781409901907
- Red Flag, Viking, 1927.
- Firehead, Payson & Clarke, 1929.
- Dance of Fire, Smith & Haas, 1935.