An inspiring and enriching anthology, January 7, 2001

By	Michael J. Mazza (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews

The innovative introduction is written in the form of a dialogue between coeditors Morse and Larkin. Addressing the interesting question--Why a gay and lesbian anthology?--Larkin notes that "all kinds of sparks result when you get us all together in one place." She also observes that the poems begin "to speak to one another" when so gathered. The introduction also recalls some highlights from the history of 20th century lesbian and gay literature, with an emphasis on poetry and anthologies.

The authors are a good mix of both well-known and lesser-known poets. The poems themselves cover many different themes and stylistic approaches. Some of the many highlights include Alexis De Veaux's narrative poem "The Sisters"; Maurice Kenny's "Winkte," a celebration of the gay Native American experience; and Irena Klepfisz's "death camp," a painful poem about the Holocaust.

If you have a passion for poetry, for lesbian literature, for multicultural studies, or for gay men's literature, you will want to add "Gay and Lesbian Poetry in Our Time" to your library. It is a remarkable volume.

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