Customer Reviews

American Poetry

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The only reason I give this book four stars instead of five is because it's an anthology and my understanding is that anthologies rip off the actual writers. All the writers get is one measly copy of the book--not a penny. But enough said about that. Most anthologies also include only about twenty-five writers and it is always the same old, same old. If you want a wide, an extraordinary variety of voices and poetry and poets, this is the book. 173 poets (by my count) all born 1960 or after and all with at least one book published by a trade, university, or independent publisher, so obviously there are only a few poems from each writer and unfortunately we miss out on the full breadth of their voices and range, but it certainly is exciting to discover so many new writers and voices. Because any reader of this anthology is bound to discover new writers (and hopefully purchase those writers' books) I heartily recommend this collection. In fact I cannot begin to recommend it enough. The more I re-read, and rediscover, the more heartily I recommend it. How exciting to discover in one book so many voices, so many writers I had never heard of.

There is a proliferation of anthologies out this year that collect the works of a number of younger poets (a response to the new millenium buzz, no doubt). However, of all them I found the Carengie Mellon anthology more comprehensive and inclusive in the scope of its vision. It is the largest with the highest number of younger writers (perhaps the press simply had a bigger budget). But regardless, Daniels and Costanzo gathered here an amazing group that reflects what will eventually become the diversified literary canon of the future. There are many discoveries here and it is obvious from the intro that the editors tried their best to search for those finds that other anthologies overlooked. Reaching for the obvious names would have been too easy a task, best left to lazier editors, so it is with great admiration that I salute this, the most energetic effort to date.

"American Poetry: The Next Generation" is a wonderful collection of modern poetry for everyone, regardless of one's experience level. The title is truly indicative of the contents; this is the "next generation" of poets covering the "next generation" of American life. It is one of the most complete compilations of Modern American poetry. It could become a great resource for future generations to understand the common mood and setting of this era. It includes several pieces that illuminate both the exceptional and usual happenings in daily American life. Poems, such as those by Jim Daniels, beautifully and sometimes comically, describle an insightful view of their own homes and lives, often astoundingly similar to one's own, yet far exceeding the average ability to put to words. In addition to describing things most Americans could easily relate to, there were several poems that added insight into the experiences of the unfamiliar. The poems varied in mood, with humor, sadness and even dispair and anger, written by well-known and not-so-well-known poets. Some pieces were musical, some told stories, nearly all were enjoyable. Upon first seeing the book at a writers' conference, I briefly flipped through it and was curious, if not immediately impressed. Once I got home, read the poems (in no particular order), I found "American Poetry: The Next Generation" to meet and far exceed my expectations.

By far the most representative and complete of the slew of younger poet anthologies. There are some fabulous "younger" poets highlighted here, Joe Bolton, Joel Brouwer, Stephanie Brown, Olena Kalytiak Davis, Thomas Sayers Ellis, Mark Levine, to name a few. There are also a number of poets included who I feel are just flavors of the moment. The democratic nature of this anthology is both its strength and its weakness. But if you're only going to purchase one "younger" poet anthology, this is definately the one to get. Trust me, I've read them all.

or poetry to be read in a safe. there are some lovely poems here from sherman alexie, david barber, mark levine, and david marlatt, but for the most part, the poems feel stiffly correct -- corpses with perfect posture. this is no-beauty, no-risk stuff.