Poetry With an Edge

by Neil Astley (Editor)

Book by

Genres: Poetry, Anthologies

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Neil Astley is editor of Bloodaxe Books, Britain’s leading poetry imprint, which he founded in 1978. His own books include novels, poetry collections and anthologies, most notably the Bloodaxe Staying Alive trilogy. He is also a trustee of Ledbury Poetry Festival and Newcastle Centre for the Literary Arts, and a development committee member of Cúirt International Festival of Literature in Galway, Ireland.

Reviews

[Sylvester (Taking a break in 2023) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always on the hunt for new poets, and this anthology was full of ones I'd never come across before, and several - 8! - that I want more of. That gets high marks from me, right there. I also liked Astley's introductory words about how difficult it is to find poetry that really strikes a chord, and how the critics don't seem to be much help in that regard. Too true. Poetry for the everyday person who is neither a sentimental flake nor an academic stodge is what I'd like. This collection does well on that account.

Negative Capability

It could not have been
A nightingale, they said.
They said it was a blackbird
Or a thrush that I had seen

Singing above the streetlight
As Christmas Eve closed in.
Call it what they like
I heard its song all night,

No other soul was near me.
If I could sing like that
I should not need a name.
Nor anyone to hear me.

John Drew

[Danielle Palmer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whew this was a slog! There are a handful of wonderful poems here, but to me they were few and far between and hidden among many that were hard to understand or gut wrenching (or both). I like my poetry with less torture, more sunshine. To each their own. The introduction is wonderful, probably my favorite part of the book