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The Best American Poetry 2009: Series Editor David Lehman (Best American Poetry)
Award-winning poet David Wagoner and renowned editor David Lehman present the twenty-second edition of the Best American Poetry series—"a ‘best’ anthology that really lives up to its title" (Chicago Tribune). Eagerly anticipated by scholars, students, readers, and poets alike, Scribner’s Best American Poetry series has achieved brand-name status in the literary world, serv...more
Paperback, 240 pages
Published
September 22nd 2009
by Scribner
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Nothing like a literary feud to kick things off. I have no idea how this year's edition of the BAP will go (I'm predicing the usual 3 stars), but it's probably a keeper due to Lehman's wreck-on-the-highway opening essay. (Seriously, it's right up there with Bloom's years ago tirade at Rich.) Clearly Lehman doesn't like bad boy poetry critic William Logan. But other than saying he, like so many suffering others, has been a target, he doesn't give specifics regarding his outrage. After a little de...more
An on again - off again series for me, yet a series that I have to check out each year - even if it only introduces me to one or two poets that I hadn't read before. I really liked this year's volume quite a bit, folding over many pages and adding many books to my Amazon wishlist.
Interesting notes:
I always find it fascinating in a collection like this - where it is arranged alphabetically - that I would find sections that I prefer. In this particular collection, I found that I vastly preferred t...more
Interesting notes:
I always find it fascinating in a collection like this - where it is arranged alphabetically - that I would find sections that I prefer. In this particular collection, I found that I vastly preferred t...more
I was a little underwhelmed with this year's selection, mostly with some of the overtly political poems. I thought David Lehman's introduction was very good and was, as usual, temporarily overcome with optimism about the state of American poetry that will fade, I'm sure, by next November, just in time for Lehman to prop me up again.
My favorite poems in the anthology were:
1. "Freud" by James Cummins: a wide-ranging sestina that I feel provides a good counterpoint to the anti-Freud double abeceda...more
My favorite poems in the anthology were:
1. "Freud" by James Cummins: a wide-ranging sestina that I feel provides a good counterpoint to the anti-Freud double abeceda...more
Good. David Wagoner is an old favorite of mine from way back--I first read his poem, 'Staying Alive' in ninth grade and thought it was epic. He did a great job findings these selections.
Many longer poems in this collection, more than I usually find in the BAP anthologies. Not a lot of strong emotion, although some, like Fleda Brown's terrific 'Roofers' stand out for that reason. More nature poetry than I care for, but at least the poems that have the environment as their theme go very deep. Also...more
Many longer poems in this collection, more than I usually find in the BAP anthologies. Not a lot of strong emotion, although some, like Fleda Brown's terrific 'Roofers' stand out for that reason. More nature poetry than I care for, but at least the poems that have the environment as their theme go very deep. Also...more
Aug 04, 2010
Telly McGaha
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
lovers and writers of poetry
With an anthology like this, you're going to have hits and misses, and I've read both the positive and negative reviews here and in the various media outlets. However, overall, I have to give it four stars for the clarity and crispness of the poets. Several of them, to me, felt as if they were bringing something new to poetry writing.
I noticed one of the other reviewers commented about the interesting habit of falling in love with one "section" more than an other, which is somewhat hard to do g...more
I noticed one of the other reviewers commented about the interesting habit of falling in love with one "section" more than an other, which is somewhat hard to do g...more
This version of BAP has a great discussion of poetry in America as well as the role of the critic. In the introduction by the series editor, David Lehman, he picks apart the role a critic should play. He goes on to give the big middle finger to one pessimistic-jerky-critic (aka William Logan) who is less interested in constructive feedback and writes like Howard Stern. Read it! It is a great and sensitive response to the naysayers out there.
I thought I didn't like poetry. Nevermind. There are a good amount of poems in this book that are simply fantastic. These poets are doing incredible things for the world of modern poetry. Barring this poems, the rest of this book is a lot of the trite shit one would expect.
I wasn't too impressed by the selection of poetry selected for 2009. Was it just me (I have to admit I read most of the poems before going to bed and they usually put me to sleep) or was it the poems. I did like the first one, though, a poem by John Ashbury, made up entirely of movie titles which began with "they". The good thing about a poetry collection like this, though, is that the poems are short, and if you don't like one, you haven't expended a lot of time or energy on it.
Honestly, I wanted to see what is out there in the poetry, and I am convinced today's poets now all live boring lives, and half scratch at something but it never turns raw. But I shouldn't criticize right? I should write, right?
A writer friend of mine suggest writer's read a little poetry everyday, and this was my most recent poetry book. The poems were hit or miss for me. I loved the Insect Collector's Demise by Jude Nutter.
Love David Wagoner, and he's picked some good stuff: "Beasts and Violins," "The Safe-House," "Sweat," "Love". Some of the contributors' comments were out-of-control long, though. Be forewarned.
I keep reading this series habitually, even though I haven't really enjoyed most of a collection in years. Just for my own reference, the poems I found interesting:
"Ring Tone", Bruce Bond
"Mum's the Word", Bob Hicok
"How to Be Eaten by a Lion", Michael Johnson
"Red", Mary Oliver (usually don't like her work)
"On Mercy", Kevin Prufer
"Love", Martha Silano
"Like a Monkey", Mitch Sisskind
"At the New York Public Library, I heard Derek Walcott dismiss the prose poem", Vincent Stanley
"Ultimately Justice Dir...more
"Ring Tone", Bruce Bond
"Mum's the Word", Bob Hicok
"How to Be Eaten by a Lion", Michael Johnson
"Red", Mary Oliver (usually don't like her work)
"On Mercy", Kevin Prufer
"Love", Martha Silano
"Like a Monkey", Mitch Sisskind
"At the New York Public Library, I heard Derek Walcott dismiss the prose poem", Vincent Stanley
"Ultimately Justice Dir...more
Wherein I learn that Elizabeth Bird's (Fuse #8) mom is a poet. I also read a lot of good poems.
This is a wonderful series, edited by David Lehman, who consistently writes a provocative and interesting foreword. The 2009 edition, guest edited by David Wagoner, is one of the strongest in the series. Poet bios include standard info as well as the poet's thoughts on the included selection.
I've been out of the poetry scene for a while, bit I picked this up on a lark at the library and thoroughly enjoyed it.
An interesting collection of poems.
I liked the essay by David Lehman, thought provoking.
I liked the essay by David Lehman, thought provoking.
I found the selections in here really prosaic; lots of plodding, unmemorable narrative poems. Where are the poems having fun with language? Where are the interesting, experimental, make-you-sit-up-and-take-notice poems? I know it's BAP, so it's going to play it fairly safe, but I think they could have done much better. Of course there were a few great finds in here, but mostly I felt meh.
For a rundown on the entertaining literary drama/feud being played out in the opening essay, see this review:...more
For a rundown on the entertaining literary drama/feud being played out in the opening essay, see this review:...more
I've read a few of these elsewhere and they are good, though there are a number of poems in this collection that don't hit for me at all. On the whole, the poems are precise with a clear point of view. There is a voice, rather than an excess of narration or imagery. Not much play here, though, either in humor or quirks of language.
I liked best the poems by Bond, Boruch, Hayden, Lux, Nutter, Trethewey, and Young. The Forward and Introduction were good.
Ok, some good stuff.
A well-compiled collection. This is something I'd love to own. Many of these were very striking.
Apr 17, 2013
Audrey
marked it as to-read
Mar 11, 2013
Eddy Allen
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
romance-and-poetry
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updated Oct 06, 2009 05:04am
I would imagine that 90% of every...more
Oct 06, 2009 07:30am