HAROLD BLOOM Obituary

BLOOM--Harold. The American Academy of Arts and Letters notes with sorrow the death of this brilliant critic and thinker whose reach and originality profoundly shaped our understanding of literature.

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Published by New York Times on Oct. 16, 2019.

Memories and Condolences
for HAROLD BLOOM

4 Entries

November 15, 2019

IF AN ANGEL CAME

[for Harold Bloom]

if an angel came

came to the door and wept

keening the disappearing

of the lovely bequeathed

with a look less blazing

and in a haze of sorrow

why wouldn't it be believed

what we have seen, I have seen

the poets relegated to the ash heap

who might as well have been the ones

to invent the lyre;

to such an extent

the heart is misrepresented now

and their date is expired

it is generally understood.

by those lost deeper into Dante's wood

but in my heart a rebel notion rises

I am not loth to express

and you can take the rest

of the dystopian martyrs the ones

who stress less is more when it is only less

because perhaps I am sorry to say

they are just not up to the task themselves

yet still I will bless Shakespeare

Keats, Yeats, Rilke and all the rest I learned

in green years past;

that is the Heaven I would live in

unsurpassed where words strike sparks

and there is life enobled, unbidden

to defend itself established in the Living Word

unwilling to leave Paradise even if the herd requires it

refusing to go, preparing in all I know to stand forever so,

forever toward Eden gazing.

mary angela douglas 15 november 2019

Olivia Scharfman

November 5, 2019

Harold Bloom was a most beloved professor and friend. I will always fondly remember tea at his home, his overwhelming brilliance, and the kindness with which he treated all of his students. He was a sparkling light in the lives of many, and will continue to be so long after his passing. Sending all my love to Jeanne.

October 24, 2019

I'm just a person who loved Professor Harold Bloom just in reading his books. I wrote him a thank you note once, not being even one of his students, never having even met him or spoken to him. He very kindly replied to me. This was in 2018. I sent him a lot of poems after that because it made me happy to think Harold Bloom MIGHT read them but I asked him not to comment because truly I would feel guilty for wasting his time when he was most likely still trying to write more books. One day, actually September 27 of this year 2019 it suddenly kind of swept over me I really want to ask him just one question, but what is it. And the word Agon came to me. I just put One Small Question in the subject line and the message just read Professor Bloom I just want to ask you what the word agon means to you personally and I said also I was not that clear on the word's meaning anyway. He very kindly explained the meaning as he meant it and then he said he was trying to write a book that would show a kind of consciousness where there was NO MORE agon anymore, because we all would be one, a kind of immortality and resurrection in that absence of agon. It astonishes me that he replied to such a peanut as me and it truly seemed to me such an extraordinary answer but it shows the kind of teacher and person he truly was. For some reason the Monday he died, October 14th I paid no attention to the news anywhere and for that week. On Thursday I sent another poem not knowing he wasnt in the world anymore. At 7:30 a.m. on Friday October 18th I received an email from his wife, Jeanne Gould Bloom. I had never written to her though I had wanted to because I couldnt find any place to send her something. She wrote: Alas, Harold is no longer here to read your poem. I want to thank Jeanne Bloom from my heart for that. It was most kind of her. I pray blessings forever for Harold and Jeanne Gould Bloom and that his very fine work may continue as long as the earth itself. I don't want to cry any more than I already have so I will just stop writing here. Mary Angela Douglas October 24 2019,Winston Salem, NC.

Joan Wolpin

October 16, 2019

Harold was my first cousin and we spent time together often as youngsters. I have lived in Ohio for many years and have been out of touch. I remember him fondly and am so proud to be related.

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