In Memoriam: Iván Argüelles
Iván Argüelles (1939-2024) was a brilliantly innovative Mexican-American poet who worked at the intersection of surrealism and the classical and mystical traditions of both East and West. His many publications since 1970 include his books of poetry “That” Goddess; Madonna Septet; Comedy, Divine, The; FIAT LUX; Orphic Cantos; Fragments from a Gone World; and Twilight Cantos. His most recent collection was The Unfinished Breath, published in two volumes in 2023. He received the 1989 William Carlos Williams Award for Looking for Mary Lou and, in 2010 an award from the Before Columbus Foundation for The Death of Stalin; he also received a lifetime achievement award from that foundation in 2013. A retired librarian, he resided in Berkeley, California. He was the identical twin of New Age Prophet José Argüelles, who died in 2011. Iván Argüelles passed away, after a long illness, in April 2024. As a tribute to a great poet, a friend, and a contributor to Caveat Lector, we are publishing the last poem he sent to me (in March of this year), and a poem by Jack Foley commemorating his passing.
—Christopher Bernard
Iván Argüelles: "Fattening Frogs for Snakes" and Jack Foley: "FOR IVÁN"
Iván Argüelles Memorial Reading
"The Great Pan Is Dead" - Reading by Iván Argüelles, 2019
Poetry by Iván Argüelles on Caveat Lector:
"My Life: A Spring Afternoon 1953"
"The Denunciation of Literature"
"Venus in the Pandemic"
"Untitled"
"A Career in Poetry"
"MAX : A SHORT AUTOBIOGRAPHY"
"Call and Response" (with Jack Foley)
"IS INFINITY THE LENGTH OF A BLADE OF GRASS? IS ETERNITY THE DARKNESS WITHIN A BEE’S EYE?"
"From Ilion-A Transcription"
"XXII Juggernaut"