Scattered Poems

Scattered Poems is a posthumously published collection of poetry by Jack Kerouac, a key figure in the Beat movement. The collection showcases Kerouac's experimentation with poetic forms, particularly his adaptation of the haiku. Influenced by bebop jazz and his study of Buddhism, Kerouac developed a "spontaneous bop prosody" characterized by a free-flowing, unrevised style. He aimed for simplicity and visual imagery in his poetry, often incorporating elements of nature and personal reflection, as seen in his novel The Dharma Bums. The collection reflects his unique approach to language, seeking to capture the immediacy of thought and experience.12