Fifty Years of American Poetry - by Academy of American Poets (Paperback)

About the Book

The Academy of American Poets is the only institution which could compile such a diverse and comprehensive anthology of America's esteemed modern poets. From its introduction by preeminent poet, novelist and critic Robert Penn Warren to its enlivening illustrations, this volume is a treasure for everyone who loves the written word. (Poetry)

Book Synopsis

Seer, critic, lover, madwoman--the poet's sensibility gives us a chance to experience them all. This rich, wide-ranging collection of work by scores of America's contemporary poets brings you both wisdom and entertainment in short verse.

In it are represented, with one poem each, the chancellors, fellows, and award winners of the Academy of American Poets since 1934. The result is a unique sampler of the various literary styles and themes that have left their marks on the past five decades.

Fifty Years of American Poetry gives readers the opportunity to hear familiar voices and new ones--and encounter the great American poems that have captured both our minds and our hearts.

The Academy of American Poets has as its stated purpose ''To encourage, stimulate, and foster the production of American poetry..." This was never limited to poets of any particular school, method, or category of poetry so this anthology is as representative a cross-section of American poetry in the last 50 years as any of its kind. The Academy is not a stodgy eastem provincial institution. It encourages young poets, recognizes the importance of change and growth in the poetry of America, and believes that poetry is not for poets only. This anthology was compiled on this basis. Fifty Years Of American Poetry is not only educational, but also inspirational, hopefully imbuing everyone who reads it with a sense of the dynamic and development of American poetry in the last half century. The Academy of American Poets is the only institution which could compile such a unique anthology because it is the oniy group which has consistently played a large part in the American poetry scene through its patronage to poets and its mission to make poetry an accessible and vital part of the American literary landscape.

About the Author

The Academy of American Poets was founded in 1934 and is the largest membership-based nonprofit organization fostering an appreciation for contemporary American poetry. For more than three generations, the Academy has connected millions of people to great poetry through programs such as National Poetry Month, Poets.org, American Poets, Poem-a-Day, and an annual series of poetry readings and events.