12 x 12: Conversations in 21st-Century Poetry and Poetics

by Christina Mengert (Editor), Joshua Marie Wilkinson (Editor)

Bringing together penetrating conversations between poets of different generations as they explore process and poetics, poetry’s influence on other art forms, and the political and social aspects of their work, 12 × 12 restores poesis to the center of poetry.

Christina Mengert and Joshua Marie Wilkinson have assembled an expansive and searching view of the world through the eyes of twenty-four of our most vital and engaging poets. Punctuated by poems from each contributor, 12 × 12 brings together an unparalleled range of poets and poetries, men and women from around the world, working poets for whom the form vitally matters.

Contributors

Jennifer K. Dick–Laura Mullen
Jon Woodward–Rae Armantrout
Sabrina Orah Mark–Claudia Rankine
Christina Hawkey–Tomaž Šalamun
Christine Hume–Rosemarie Waldrop
Srinkath Reddy–Mark Levine
Karen Volkman–Allen Grossman
Paul Fattaruso–Dara Wier
Mark Yakich–Mary Leader
Michelle Robinson–Paul Auster
Sawako Nakayasu–Carla Harryman
Ben Lerner–Aaron Kunin

Genres: Poetry

284 pages, Paperback

First published April 16, 2009

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

The interviews here are variably effective and, in that way, become more a demonstration of reviewing techniques (at least at points) than actual conversations about poetics. I do like the idea of a mentee interviewing a mentor, and I also enjoyed that the sections began and ended with examples from the writing of the conversation partners. At times, the interviewers seemed to be doing backflips to show off to their mentors, or prove their erudition. Nonetheless, there are very few interviews in which at some point I didn't pause with interest and appreciation.

[Gary McDowell]

March 2009.