Scan barcode
b_p's review against another edition
1.0
Overall, I would give this collection a C+ average (technically an 77.9% avg.) as far as the quality of the poems contained. I know that attempting to quantify poetic effect/value is a ridiculous gesture, but I am simply a ridiculous person. Of course, this is purely based off of my own tastes and will not necessarily reflect your average satisfaction rate. I started a mission in October of 2016 to read the entire Best American Poetry series so that I can begin to get a better sense of (A) what my taste in poetry is, and (B) my own poetic voice.
This is the second "worst" edition of BAP that I have read so far. While not quite as mediocre as 2004, Creeley's selections for 2002 are still something of a disappointment. While I appreciate the values and techniques that Creeley cultivates and promotes as a poet, I cannot really stand more than a dose here and there as a reader. There is a Gustaf Sobin poem in this edition, one of my favorites that Creeley had to offer, titled "In Way of Introduction" that describes the tone of many of the inferior (at least for my sensibilities) poems in this volume:
"poems are about. yours, though,
yours, it would seem, are
a-
bout the process of their own
depletion: about, one might assume, the sheer a-
boutlessness of being"
In the end, too many of these poems, much like BAP 2004, suffer from a bad case of aboutlessness. Unfortunately, the case is terminal. Below are the poems I recommend from this volume. Scour the internet for them and save your money by not buying this edition. However, the introduction by Lehman (reflecting on 9/11 and poetry) and even Creeley's introduction are definitely worth digging into. It felt strange reading about the cultural impact of a major historical event that I actually lived through.
Masterpieces (5)
Theodore Enslin, Moon Cornering
Clayton Eshleman, Animals out of the Snow
Jeffrey Franklin, To a Student Who Reads 'The Second Coming' as Sexual Autobiography
Gustaf Sobin, In Way of Introduction
John Taggart, Call
Masterful (6)
Elizabeth Biller Chapman, On the Screened Porch
D. Nurkse, Snapshot from Niagara
Sharon Olds, Frontis Nulla Fides
Pam Rehm, 'A roof is no guarantee...'
Nathan Whiting, In Charge
John Yau, A Sheath of Pleasant Voices
Masters Candidates (7)
Elaine Equi, O Patriarchy
Gene Frumkin, Surreal Love Life
Maxine Kumin, Flying
Timothy Liu, Felix Culpa
Charles North, Sonnet
Hugh Seidman, I Do Not Know Myself
Dara Wier, Illumined with the Light of Fitfully Burning Censers
Overall, I would absolutely to highly recommend approx. 24% of the poems contained in this volume.
This is the second "worst" edition of BAP that I have read so far. While not quite as mediocre as 2004, Creeley's selections for 2002 are still something of a disappointment. While I appreciate the values and techniques that Creeley cultivates and promotes as a poet, I cannot really stand more than a dose here and there as a reader. There is a Gustaf Sobin poem in this edition, one of my favorites that Creeley had to offer, titled "In Way of Introduction" that describes the tone of many of the inferior (at least for my sensibilities) poems in this volume:
"poems are about. yours, though,
yours, it would seem, are
a-
bout the process of their own
depletion: about, one might assume, the sheer a-
boutlessness of being"
In the end, too many of these poems, much like BAP 2004, suffer from a bad case of aboutlessness. Unfortunately, the case is terminal. Below are the poems I recommend from this volume. Scour the internet for them and save your money by not buying this edition. However, the introduction by Lehman (reflecting on 9/11 and poetry) and even Creeley's introduction are definitely worth digging into. It felt strange reading about the cultural impact of a major historical event that I actually lived through.
Masterpieces (5)
Theodore Enslin, Moon Cornering
Clayton Eshleman, Animals out of the Snow
Jeffrey Franklin, To a Student Who Reads 'The Second Coming' as Sexual Autobiography
Gustaf Sobin, In Way of Introduction
John Taggart, Call
Masterful (6)
Elizabeth Biller Chapman, On the Screened Porch
D. Nurkse, Snapshot from Niagara
Sharon Olds, Frontis Nulla Fides
Pam Rehm, 'A roof is no guarantee...'
Nathan Whiting, In Charge
John Yau, A Sheath of Pleasant Voices
Masters Candidates (7)
Elaine Equi, O Patriarchy
Gene Frumkin, Surreal Love Life
Maxine Kumin, Flying
Timothy Liu, Felix Culpa
Charles North, Sonnet
Hugh Seidman, I Do Not Know Myself
Dara Wier, Illumined with the Light of Fitfully Burning Censers
Overall, I would absolutely to highly recommend approx. 24% of the poems contained in this volume.
More...