The Intimate Strangeness of Poetry

The Irish philosopher William Desmond studied literature before becoming one of the most exciting metaphysicians of our day. He continues to write, as he sometimes puts it, “between system and poetics.” Desmond claims a poetic register is necessary to evoke the richness of being, and that literature is a vital conversation partner for philosophy. This is the first collection to explore how Desmond’s “metaxological” philosophy can deepen literary studies. Chapters discuss Desmond’s own poetic practice, his elegiac account of beauty, and the resources he offers for an aesthetic dialogue with the Kyoto school. Other chapters expand upon Desmond’s discussions of Dante, Shakespeare, and Dickens. Others still bring Desmond into conversation with works that he does not address, including the mythopoesis of J. R. R. Tolkien and the poetry of Saint John of the Cross, Tennyson, Claude McKay, and Denise Levertov. The collection ends with an essay by Desmond about religion in the poetry of Seamus Heaney and Thomas Kinsella. This collection will be of interest not only to scholars of Desmond but also to anyone concerned with the relationship between literature, philosophy, and religion.