Urbanistiс Image of New York in English Poetry by Rose Ausländer

Abstract

English poetry by Rose Ausländer is an interesting phenomenon in the biography and writing of the German-speaking author, associated with the practical aspects of life in exile and psychological traumas. Using the method of analysis of poetic texts created by her in English during the life in emigration in the United States between 1947 and 1956 (poetry collection “The Forbidden Tree”) and some later prose texts, interviews, we conclude that Rose Ausländer had an ambiguous attitude to New York. The same attitude to the metropolis was shared by the American poet Marianne Moore, with whom Ausländer developed friendship, which played an important role for the creative life of the Bukovynian author in exile. We also consider the different perceptions of New York by Rose Ausländer during the two different periods of her residence there: the late 1920s when poetry was traditional in form and expressionist in style, written in German; and English free verse during the post-war period. Despite numerous topographical names that appear in the poetry collection “The Forbidden Tree”, the main New York motives remain the challenges to adapt to the rapid pace and rhythm of life, urge for the feeling of home, hope for a reunion with Bukovyna and German language etc.