A prose poem is a poem written in prose rather than verse. But what does that really mean? Is it an indefinable hybrid? An anomaly in the history of poetry? Are the very words "prose poem" an oxymoron? This groundbreaking anthology edited by celebrated poet David Lehman, editor of The Best American Poetry series, traces the form in all its dazzling variety from Poe and Emerson to Auden and Ashbery and on, right up to the present. In his brilliant and lucid introduction, Lehman defines the prose poem, summarizes its French heritage, and outlines its history in the United States. Included here are important works from masters of American literature, as well as poems by contemporary mainstays and emerging talents who demonstrate why the form has become an irresistible option for the practicing poet today. Great American Prose Poems is a marvelous collection, a must-have for anyone interested in the current state of the art.
Great American Prose Poems: From Poe to the Present
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About the Author
David Lehman, who founded The Best American Poetry series in 1988, is the editor of The Oxford Book of American Poetry and the author of seven books of poetry, including When a Woman Loves a Man. He teaches in the graduate writing program at the New School and lives in New York City and in Ithaca, New York.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A canny introduction ushers the reader into this hybrid art form. The examples illuminate the form's history and variety. Most of the prose poems are superb; only a few disappoint. And readers previously unfamiliar with the genre (like myself) will likely be introduced to established but little-known writers of tremendous depth, beauty and originality, like Lyn Hejinian and Fanny Howe. I highly recommend this collection.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I've always enjoyed reading short stories, but over the years I've started to appreciate their form more than their plot-lines, and a careful and insightful use of language became something I increasingly valued. The first time I came across a prose poem, although I did not know it was called that at the time, was a translation of Czeslaw Milosz poem by Robert Pinsky. I was immediately fascinated by it, but I thought it was just something characteristic Milosz's style. Many years later I came across this book, and I was instantly drawn to it. I've read it and re-read it many times. It contains some of the best prose poems out there, and it helped me discover some new poets that I would have otherwise not known about. Based on that, I am adding new books to my Amazon wish list on a continuing basis. It's definitely worth buying and reading.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By Dagonet
Format:Paperback
David Lehman's 'Great American Prose Poems' gives an interesting and insightful look into the world of the questionable - yet undeniably fascinating - genre of prose poetry. First providing the reader with an engaging introduction on the origins and essentials of prose poetry, Lehman proceeds to include a good basic range of authors. Gertrude Stein has a particularly impressive contribution, as do several others. This is a thought-provoking and highly recommended read for anyone interested in learning about the basics of prose poetry -- my only real annoyance was the absence of Leonard Cohen: while he is not American, he is Canadian, like several others featured in Lehman's collection, and (as an example) his work 'How to Speak Poetry' is utterly classic.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Lehman is a great editor
I got this book promptly from Amazon promptly, in time for a class I'm taking in prose poetry. Lehman writes a wonderful preface to the books he edits. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Cathy Sky
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great introduction to prose poetry
I had this is a text book in one of my advanced poetry writing classes and I loved it. It's a great introduction to, or review of, prose poetry and a book I still visit often. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Sarah Blackmon
5.0 out of 5 stars
Book for school
I always worry about book prices when a new semester starts, but I was thankful that this book was a bargain!
Published 20 months ago by Lindsey
5.0 out of 5 stars
Top choice collection
Love this book! I've worked with poetry students for many years and placed my own poems with traditional publishers for a decade or so beyond that, but I just never got into prose... Read more
Published on January 18, 2011 by Mary H. Sayler
4.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful anthology of 20th century American prose poetry
Lehman's collection of prose poems in this volume is outstanding. He covers a wide expanse of authors, beginning with Poe and Emerson and ending with young poets working today. Read more
Published on August 8, 2010 by S. Forrester
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good for learners
I've never known that there has been so many prose poem tradition in American Literature, and, this book is able to show it. Read more
Published on February 2, 2009 by Aarao J. B. Pereira
5.0 out of 5 stars
Puttin on the Hits
This is a great book, an American book, a prose book full of poems, a poetry book full of prose, an American book you can take to Paris, a book with a cover like none you've ever... Read more
Published on January 7, 2004
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