The Oxford Book of American Poetry

If you love poetry, one book will never satisfy your hunger or lifelong search for poem perfection. Each book offers a unique perspective and The Oxford Book of American Poetry seeks to present an American viewpoint with over 200 poets revealing their most intimate thoughts. The poems warmly present insights into the viewpoint of the poets as they comment on cultural norms or decry conditions of their times.The first poems seem to set a tradition of extensive stories to blend observations in nature with descriptions of insights into moments. Poems like Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "The Bridge" have a soft beauty and thoughtful reflective quality. "To One in Paradise" by Edgar Allen Poe is stunning and revelatory in its romantic appeal. "The Raven" and "Annabel Lee" also appear.Many of the poems retain a historical significance and present a record of the emotions felt by those viewing the birth of new freedoms. The delicious culinary poem about "Hasty-Pudding" was a sweet surprise."I am the poet of the body,And I am the poet of the soul."~Walt WhitmanI will say that I became entranced by Walt Whitman's enthusiastic portrayal of life and his poems are an especially luminous moment that spans across many pages, which are needed because The Song of Myself (1855 edition) is included and takes up 48 pages! His soul seems to dance between moments as if infusing all he observes with an expansive optimism steeped in appreciation for all that he experiences. I loved these lines from "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd:""Lilac and star and bird twined with the chant of my soul,There in the fragrant pines and cedars dusk and dim."While most of the first 100 or so pages were completely new to me, hope dawned as I started to discover familiar favorites like "Wild Nights" by Emily Dickinson. "The Road Not Taken" appeared along the way and "This Is Just to Say" by William Carlos Williams reveals beautiful images of cool plums from an icebox . My favorite poem by Elinor Wylie did not make it into this book, but I was pleasantly surprised by "The Puritan's Ballad" which is very sensual:"Within his arms I feared to sinkWhere lions shook their manes,And dragons drawn in azure inkLeapt quickened by his veins."If you crave the sensuality of language and longing, there is much to enjoy. While most of the poems do not focus on romantic longings, there are quite a few sensual poems. Denise Levertov explores male longing in his poem: "The Mutes" where he presents a striking reality."Swan and Shadow" by John Hollander is actually shaped like a swan on a lake with its reflection and was a lovely visual surprise. Billy Collins' "Introduction to Poetry" appears along with "Shoveling Snow with Buddha" and "Dharma." Rachel Hadas presents cool crisp images in "Riverside Park:""...strolling lovers vanish in the glareflung from the river by the westering sun.I can hardly claim to be alone.Nevertheless, of all whom autumn's newrusset brocades are draping, none is you."While longing and desire do seem present in many of the poems, the sheer desire of the poet to communicate the experiences seems to be the main theme throughout. Dana Gioia's "Summer Storm" brings a moment as close to our experience as it can possibly be in a poem. Rain from a sudden thunderstorm is almost symbolic of a sudden attraction that is highly memorable.Some of the poets featured in this anthology include: Anne Bradstreet, Edward Taylor, Francis Scott Key, Julia Ward Howe, Herman Melville, Edwin Arlington Robinson, Robert Frost, Wallace Stevens, Ezra Pound, T.S. Eliot, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Dorothy Parker, E.E. Cummings, W. H. Auden, Kenneth Rexroth and Sylvia Plath.It is my theory that if you find one or two new poems, then you have succeeded in your reading mission. Throughout this book I found many poems I not only liked, but I loved. Most of the poems were completely new to me and do span such an extensive time period (Poets born between 1616 and 1950), it is more than likely impossible to find all these poems in your own lifetime if you were to try to read a book by each of the poets. This is a much easier way to find poets you might enjoy and then you can select a few poetry books by poets you truly think you will love.If you enjoy American Poetry, then "The Best American Poetry 2005" may also intrigue you. I'm working my way through the "Best American Poetry" series and have been impressed with how each book paints a picture of a year in the life of America.~The Rebecca ReviewP.S. If you enjoy poetry, I think you may love poemsby Brian Douthit and Diane Anjoue. The book "Eyes of the Poet"is truly beautiful.

Best part: beautifully assembled anthology.Not so good: no commentary on poems or selection criteria.

Gave to a book lover for graduation

I was pleased to find the Oxford available for Kindle, because I have enjoyed a much earlier, print version for nearly 50 years. The navigation feature of the work is excellent, and bookmarking favorite poems and poets is an invaluable aid.My only complaint, and the one reason why I hesitated to purchase this modern edition, is I knew I would have to wander through the mine field of modern American poets trying to find those whose poetry is not defined by a compulsive use of four-letter words and their many derivatives. Based on a random sample so far of four poets, my misgivings were well-founded. An ideal Kindle feature would be the ability to delete poems and poets that I do not care to have in my house.

I bought this to replace my old one lost to a wet basement. Little has changed in the last forty years.

I got this collection of poetry mainly for my uni class that it was required for, however, through reading it for my class, I found that I enjoyed the contents and some of the poems that weren't even covered in the class. Overall, the book came in good shape, with minimal writing, tearing, or creasing. I do want to mention that I purchased the cheaper versions like the used ones (because I am a broke college student), but nonetheless, it was still a very good book and I enjoy reading a new poem every now and then.

I am on the cusp of retirement. Of the many things I plan to do, revisiting the poetry I've been reading since middle school is something I look forward to very much. This is such an extensive collection that it could fill a decade !! And the selections are the best, with a real range of expression. Charles Bukowski gets less space than Robert Frost, as it should be, but they both have a voice. My only concern is the typeface. I began wearing reading glasses 15 years ago, and even with 1.75's, I have trouble with the typeface, which appears to be about an 8. In this modern era, I have a flatbed scanner by which to scan and enlarge each page and print it out again. The book is also quite heavy, so it would make sense to print out small bits that can be hand held. This is within any fair use policy. My favorite has always been Walt Whitman, but this book is like a chocolate sampler. It will expose the most well-read to things they never saw before.

The Oxford Book of American Poetry is a fine anthology of most of America's premier poets. While, as one reviewed pointed out, the South is a bit under-represented, the collection is still excellent and offers the best that American poetry has to offer. The book is strongest in the 19th and early 20th centuries, with the more modern stuff not quite as good or as generously selected--most contemporary poets have very little of their work represented here.This book's greatest non-literary asset, though, is its affordability. While a Norton anthology can run between $70 and $80 (and they are usually worth it), this book just costs $35 and is even cheaper here on Amazon. The Oxford Book of American Poetry is not only a good anthology, it's a steal.And yes, this book really does look impressive on the shelf (though of course it won't be on the shelf often, if you're a poetry lover).

Es, de acuerdo al precio, una buena inversión si quieres inmiscuirte al mundo de la literatura norteamericana por primera vez y conocer a autoras y autores pro primera vez.

anthologies are always problematic as someone must decide what makes and doesn't make the cut; however, this collection really has a good representation of American poetry. Whenever I read about a new poet in a journal I am always happy to find that they are represented in this book.

Livre neuf reçu avec 1 page cornée et la précédente cornée et déchirée

This is a beautifully prepared and presented collection of American poetry. If you want to discover and read the work of Emily Dickinson or William Carlos Williams this is the volume to turn to.

Heavy but beautiful book of all the American poets you shall read during your studies. Be read to carry a bible with you wherever you go!