The Uncommon Speech of Paradise: Poems on the Art of Poetry

by Robert Hedin (Editor), Jim Lenfensty (Editor)

The Uncommon Speech of Paradise showcases the work of 120 modern and contemporary poets from seventeen countries―Seamus Heaney, Czeslaw Milosz, Pablo Neruda, and Anna Akhmatova―as well as works by such premier American poets as John Ashbery, Rita Dove, Mary Oliver, Joy Harjo, and Wallace Stevens. Together, they offer a wide variety of voices, styles, and perspectives on the theory, practice, and purpose of poetry.

270 pages, Paperback

Published September 28, 2021

Reviews

[Swell Versed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I encountered this book by chance at my local library, and it has become one of my all-time favorite anthologies. I enjoyed its unique focus on poems that are all written about the art and craft of poetry. Most of the poets are from the 20th century, but they represent a range of styles (including free verse and rhymed works). My favorite entry is "Ars Poetica" by Todd Boss.