5 poems by Frank O’Hara on his birthday
On this day in 1926, poet Frank O’Hara was born — though he lived his life believing his birthday was in June, as his parents had told him (likely because they were only married in the September the year before.) Here are some of his best poems (or, at least, my favourites):
“ How funny you are today New York
like Ginger Rogers in Swingtime
and St. Bridget’s steeple leaning a little to the left”
So begins this poem — O’Hara is at his best when he writes about New York, and this is no exception.
A poem on the day of Billie Holiday’s death that somehow manages to be a lovely tribute to Holiday, all the while never mentioning her by name
A charming love poem, playful and affectionate — be sure to check out the recording of O’Hara reading it.
Poem (Lana Turner has collapsed!)
O’Hara coined this on the Staten Island ferry on the way to a reading at Wagner College with Robert Lowell, then debuted the poem to his audience that evening, Lowell famously apologising for not having written anything on the journey over.
O’Hara wrote seven different poems with this title — he had initially studied music before turning to literature, and loved Rachmaninoff in particular.
