Customer Reviews

Best New Poets 2009: 50 Poems from Emerging Writers

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I have read all of the Best New Poets of ... series. I've discovered some amazing new poets, poets I will search out and read for years to come. I found this year's offering to be uneven--some marvelous poems and some that seem less deserving of inclusion. Of course, poetry is subjective, and others may find poems that leave me unmoved to be profound. Among the new poets I found particularly outstanding were: Amanda Pritchard Moore, Michael J. Grabell, Jonathon Williams, Stephanie Rogers, Caitlyn Doyle, and Kate Sweeney. Their work, alone, is well worth the price of the book (which, incidently, is very reasonably priced). And, for anyone who hasn't read previous entries in this series, I recommend them all. They contain work from emerging poets that will set the future course of poetry.

This series of books does a remarkable job of printing poetry by emergent poets of the millenium. This is powerful, fresh poetry that is well put-together and thoughtful. Very deserving of a read by those looking for new writers.

Of all the books in this series, this is the most uneven. There are truly noteworthy poets represented alongside work that is mediocre at best. There also doesn't seem to be any sort of guiding principle applied to the selection of work. Although I tend to like anthologies with a wide array of styles and perspectives, this one seems to fall flat. For anyone interested in the work of emerging poets, I would recommend the 2007 or 2008 anthologies instead.

Maybe I'm just not "getting it" but these "poems" remind me of television commercials full of random thoughts and images. Not my idea of words that have fluidity and leave me contemplating or appreciating... just my opinion.

The Best New Poets from Emerging Writers contest and antholgy series lacks integrity. The title of the contest series and anthology suggest the poems and poets are up-and-coming talents--the "best" of the "emerging" poets in America. Not! In reality, many of the writers in the anthology have never even published in magazines or journals before. At best, the work in the anthology is amaturish and misrepresents the true, emerging voices in American writing. The entire endeavor seems a slick marketing ploy. The Best New Poets series preys on writers who labor in obscurity and daydream of the fame only the rarest of poets ever earns.

an annual book as "best new poets"?!?!- so totally ridiculous..... one must question the judgement of the whole enterprise?!?!