Comments for New American Poetry

New American Poetry: 09/12/14

For two and half years I worked as a cataloger (copy cataloger mostly) at a local university. The library was overhauling its collection — withdrawing items that are either out of date or no longer circulating, and purchasing new items that better meet the needs of the students and faculty. Those books that weren't weeded also need to copy-cataloged, or their record in the catalog improved.

One of the books we kept was a collection of poetry called New American Poetry edited by Richard Monaco. I decided to check it out (after working on it, of course) for two reasons: the few sample poems I read were really good and the book is as old as I am.

Forty-one years ago when the book went to publication, it represented the best of the up and coming American poets. These were poets who at the oldest were Depression era babies, and at the youngest were among the first wave of Baby Boomers. The themes covered include a distrust of authority, life in the big city, thoughts on sexism and racism.

Two stars

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