The Best American Poetry 1995

by Richard Howard (Editor), David Lehman (Series Editor)

The Best American Poetry 1995 once again highlights the dazzling spectrum of style and subject matter to be found in the art today. Guest editor Richard Howard's accent is on discovery and surprise, and he has gleaned the most inventive and searching writing from a wide variety of literary journals. The themes and imagery here are indisputably "American," as our best poets continue to mine personal as well as communal experience for their work. Now in its eighth year, this series has established itself as a rich and vibrant source of new poetry -- celebrated in bookstores and on college campuses. Welcome, once again, the memorable voices and unique pleasures of Best American Poetry.

Margaret Atwood
Sally Ball
Catherine Bowman
Stephanie Brown
Lewis Buzbee
Cathleen Calbert
Rafael Campo
William Carpenter
Nicholas Christopher
Jane Cooper
James Cummins
Olena Kalytiak Davis
Lynn Emanuel
Elaine Equi
Irving Feldman
Donald Finkel
Aaron Fogel
Richard Frost
Allen Ginsberg
Peter Gizzi
Jody Gladding
Elton Glaser
Albert Goldbarth
Beckian Fritz Goldberg
Laurence Goldstein
Barbara Guest
Marilyn Hacker
Judith Hall
Anthony Hecht
Edward Hirsch
Janet Holmes
Andrew Hudgins
T.R. Hummer
Brigit Pegeen Kelly
Karl Kirchwey
Carolyn Kizer
Wayne Koestenbaum
John Koethe
Yusef Komunyakaa
Maxine Kumin
Lisa Lewis
Rachel Loden
Robert Hill Long
James Longenbach
Gail Mazur
J. D. McClatchy
Heather McHugh
Susan Musgrave
Charles North
Geoffrey O'Brien
Jacqueline Osherow
Molly Peacock
Carl Phillips
Marie Ponsot
Bin Ramke
Katrina Roberts
Michael J. Rosen
Kay Ryan
Mary Jo Salter
Tony Sanders
Stephen Sandy
Grace Schulman
Robyn Selman
Alan Shapiro
Reginald Shepherd
Anglea Sorby
Laurel Trivelpiece
Paul Violi
Arthur Vogelsang
David Wagoner
Charles H. Webb
Ed Webster
David Wojahn
Jay Wright
Stephen Yenser

Genres: Poetry

304 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1995

Reviews

[Jim Smalley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've really liked this collection, so far. I'm a big fan of non-rhyming poetry, as well as great use of metaphor, and this book is loaded with both.

[marcia hepps]

have been reading a poem a day for years, not my favorite collection but...

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like most collections of poems by various writers, for me, it's hit or miss, but the hits are very good. Unfortunately, as a lyrical time capsule of 1995 poetry, it makes me think that that year in poems was a very self-centered and pretentious one. But I liked that the editors purposefully set out to curate a volume of poems that was light on the old favorites and fresh with new talent. Even with all of the poems I didn't take a shine to, it's definitely a volume of top American poetry worth examining as both a writer and a reader.