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A review by wesb
The Best American Poetry 2019 by David Lehman, Major Jackson
2.0
When you get right down to it, the poetry we enjoy -- the poetry that speaks to us -- is different for everyone. This year's BAP demonstrates just how true this is. With this in mind, I hereby express my deepest condolences for sticking this book with a devastating two-star rating.
Like I said, it's a matter of taste. And I'm not so finicky as to not see the value in these poems. In fact, Alan Shapiro's "Encore" damn near brought me to tears. There were other poems that I thought were good, in technical terms, but for some mysterious reason (probably some defect in myself), they did not speak to me. Other poems, I'll admit, made me roll my eyes because they were so thoroughly, helplessly, needlessly -- ready for it? -- poetic. A strange criticism, to be sure, but it's the best way I can describe it.
I don't profess to know a great deal about contemporary poetry, and I'm writing this review, more than anything, to remind myself why I gave this such a low rating.
Like I said, it's a matter of taste. And I'm not so finicky as to not see the value in these poems. In fact, Alan Shapiro's "Encore" damn near brought me to tears. There were other poems that I thought were good, in technical terms, but for some mysterious reason (probably some defect in myself), they did not speak to me. Other poems, I'll admit, made me roll my eyes because they were so thoroughly, helplessly, needlessly -- ready for it? -- poetic. A strange criticism, to be sure, but it's the best way I can describe it.
I don't profess to know a great deal about contemporary poetry, and I'm writing this review, more than anything, to remind myself why I gave this such a low rating.