Edited by Pulitzer Prize-winner and nineteenth US Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey, The Best American Poetry 2017 brings together the most notable poems of the year in the series that offers âa vivid snapshot of what a distinguished poet finds exciting, fresh, and memorableâ (Robert Pinsky).
Librarian of Congress James Billington says Natasha Trethewey âconsistently and dramatically expanded the powerâ of the role of US Poet Laureate, holding office hours with the public, traveling the country, and reaching millions through her innovative PBS NewsHour segment âWhere Poetry Lives.â Marilyn Nelson says âthe wide scope of Tretheweyâs interests and her adept handling of form have created an opus of classics both elegant and necessary.â With her selections and introductory essay for The Best American Poetry 2017, Trethewey will be highlighting even more âelegant and necessaryâ poems and poets, adding to the national conversation of verse and its role in our culture.
The Best American Poetry is not just another anthology; it serves as a guide to whoâs who and whatâs happening in American poetry and is an eagerly awaited publishing event each year. With Tretheweyâs insightful touch and genius for plumbing the depths of history and personal experience to shape striking verse, The Best American Poetry 2017 is another brilliant addition to the series.