Tag Archives: bap09

Real Smart Reading

I’ve been pondering Jared’s very smart reading of Kevin Prufer’s poem “On Mercy” and have come to the conclusion that the best response is to simply tell you to go read it for yourself. Among other astute observations, Jared makes … Continue reading

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BAP 2009: "I Shall Be Released" (Kevin Young)

I often wonder how many poems I’ve passed over and dismissed would become interesting if I simply paid more attention to them. At the same time, too much attention for too long and any reasonably competent poem will start to … Continue reading

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BAP 2009: “A House is Not a Home” (Terrance Hayes)

I’m noticing a pattern to my movement through BAP 2009 (a volume which is getting much more attention than it deserves): most of the poems don’t impress me at first, then keep nagging at my subconscious until I have to … Continue reading

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BAP 2009: "How to Be Eaten by a Lion" (Michael Johnson)

I’m glad Jared has taken Michael Johnson’s poem in an interesting direction… it was a poem I dismissed too quickly. First, the poem itself: "How to Be Eaten by a Lion" If you hear the rush, the swish of mottled … Continue reading

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BAP 2009: “Apparition (Favorite Poem)” by Mark Doty

As is so often the case with anthologies like Best American Poetry, I’m finding a significant number of poems that diminish each time I re-read them. Fortunately, other poems grow on me. I’m on track, as I expected before ever … Continue reading

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BAP 2009: “Open Field” by Phillis Levin

Reading through this year’s Best American Poetry volume, it’s clear that Wagoner doesn’t shy away from the kind of meta-poems– poems about poems, poems about writing, poems about the language of poems and stories– I remain suspicious of. He also … Continue reading

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BAP 2009: "Zones" by Albert Goldbarth

Continuing my meandering through the Best American Poetry 2009 (and my seat of the pants "analysis") brings me to "Zones" by Albert Goldbarth. Goldbarth’s an erudite poet who’s been growing on me over the past few years. A platinum member … Continue reading

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BAP 2009: “Ringtone” by Bruce Bond

The first poem from Best American Poetry 2009 that struck my fancy was Bruce Bond’s entry: "Ringtone" As they loaded the dead onto the gurneys to wheel them from the university halls, who could have predicted the startled chirping in … Continue reading

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BAP 2009: Foreword & Intro

While I don’t plan to proceed through Best American Poetry 2009 in an orderly fashion, I did want to capture a few thoughts about David Lehman’s foreword and David Wagoner’s introduction. On Negative Criticism Lehman’s dismissal of Jason Guriel’s “Going … Continue reading

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December Distraction: Best American Poetry 2009

As Jared notes, our “December Distraction” is going to be the 2009 Best American Poetry anthology. On the whole, I’ve found enough gems in every volume of the Best American Poetry series to make it worth the very reasonable cover … Continue reading

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