The Poetry of Weldon Kees: Vanishing as Presence

This small academic monograph is a glimpse into the life of poet Weldon Kees. Kees is not only notable for his fine poetry, he is at the heart of a mystery concerning his disappearance in 1955. He said he was moving to Mexico, but his car was abandoned at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, the scene of many suicides. So did the poet disappear into the far reaches of Mexico or into the San Francisco Bay? The question remains.

I am so happy to learn of this man’s poetry, but this book gives more questions, not only about the poet’s disappearance but about the body of his work. Since so little is known about Kees, it would be nice if this was larger in scope and more definitive. It seems to have been written for academic publication rather than for a wide audience. Since this reader lacks information about Kees, I would have loved to have complete poems rather than citations. I shall be searching for a more complete look at Weldon Kees.