The Best American Poetry 2019

To take the famous statement in literature, one can apply this so BAP 2019 and many others of its issues. Why has an original great idea -- to gather the best work in a year, every year -- dissolved into what is such an obvious vanity publication? Though this latest issue is a egregious example of the worst nepotism a guest editor can practice, and a series editor can condone, BAP has a history of letting its guest editors include work of friends, students, family members, etc. have poems included in the issue. As well, David Lehman's poems are often included by guest editors. There is no reason for this. For all those spaces taken by friends and colleagues too close to the editors, we might have been introduced to new, exciting and worthwhile poetry. It has the opportunity to help new, truly best work, rather than so many of the same old names (who, granted write some fine poems, but the repetition gets boring). BAP is Lehman's baby, and he has a right to do whatever he wants with it. And that means he can cross ethical lines if he chooses. But that he chooses not to, is just sad. It's a subjective world that we live in: of course it is. What you love and praise, I may not, and damn. But the poetry should stand on its own -- and not have the exclusivity of 'it's who you know' as a premise at times. Lehman doesn't need his poems in his own anthology -- at this point might published an anthology title, 'All My Poems That I Published in BAP,' rather than perhaps fine new separate volumes of their own. This is simply a matter of literary 'friending.' BAP has also had its controversies with certain editors' choices of poems. But I don't mind that -- we should have arguments about what is good or bad, raise questions about standards of excellence, and keep the arena of what is being done a vibrant places of different perspectives and views. It could be a map of what is new and great -- not old, repeated and staid. That being said, I don't think that it will become such a series. It is a feeding ground for ego and favoritism. But, this can be seen throughout the poetry publishing world. Perhaps we cannot be neutral, perhaps we have to grease palms to get our work known. I don't think it's possible in this vast and ever increasing practice, not to know each other -- but there is a way to find those poets who are not the 'names' yet, who can be helped if BAP keeps its ethical standards -- as well as its quality standards (seriously, too many of the poems in this issue, and others, are just plain bad; yes, my subjective opinion) -- up to the level it can truly be. I'd rather BAP's controversies be about publishing poems that many might take issue with, scree about, but in the end show great work that makes us think, as well as take the inordinate amount of pleasure in the art form itself.

I usually look forward to reading this annual anthology, whether or not I agree with that year's editor's choices. But for an editor to choose one of his own poems and declare it "best of?" Wow. I would think he'd be ashamed to be so obviously self-serving and self-congratulating. (To say nothing about his having also chosen poems by his wife and colleagues.) Maybe this kind of shamelessness seems okay in the era of Trump, but it seems to me that, in one fell swoop, this year's editor has flattened the reputation of this whole (formerly highly regarded) series. Well done. Not.

I'm laughing because the customer reviews I've just read confirm what I've read. I don't know one single thing about Major Jackson's family, or his friends, but when I received my copy of this collection and greedily opened it, I was stunned, disappointed, worried, and almost scared by what I found inside. Too many of the poems smacked of amateurism to me: strange dislocations in grammar and line-endings, dislocations that did not really seem to bear with them any pertinent reason to even exist. There are plenty of good poems to be read here, but their luster is diminished by the sheer number from what I call The Victimology School of Poetry. "I am unique, I am a victim, and I want to rub it in your face." Much of this is masked by the moniker "multiculturalism".Seriously. How far does this sort of nonsense have to go before someone says something about it? I don't really care about multiculturalism in poetry, but then I really don't care for it at all if it's not well-crafted and incapable of universality. What's the difference between making a statement and creating a spectacle?As for Major Jackson including what seems to be his entire family in the collection in a sort of "Trump Family Values" invasion of American poetry, I don't quite know what to say. I know he's a good poet. Shouldn't he have the perspective and sense of proportion to see this diminishes our sense of who he is?I got way more meaning out of the Jimi Hendrix live CD I ordered along with this thing.

Arrived quickly and in good condition. Contents give one man's idea of Best Poetry in America. Thankfully each year has a different editor, usually one who does not favor spouse and friends over better poets.

I was not really surprised, how many academic poetry teachers made it into this collection. My guess, they probably know each other, they're family or friends, they talk to each other at poetry conferences, have drinks together, send each other animated birthday and holiday cards via email. Looking at the bio's, not only are they teachers, many are "seasoned" poets in this collection too. And while I'm critiquing, is it kosher to put your own poems in a collection, considering yourself the BEST, anointing yourself, wonderful? Answer: an emphatic NO! I hope, the arbiters of the next annual poetry review of wonderfulness think more than twice before they start choosing what is great, and leave themselves out of the collection to avoid embarrassment, and step out on the ledge of appropriateness, flap their wing arms, and scream the words...I will choose poets that are younger, greener and take more risks. Fly. Fly. Fly.

I get the the Best American Poetry every year. Dave Lehman, the series editor, always writes a thoughtful introductory essay. This year’s guest editor, Major Jackson, wrote a wonderful essay as well and chose a selection of poems that align with past issues, all capable, many inspiring, and some outstanding. 2019 departs from the white male tradition and presents many voices from many perspectives. Particularly fun are the brief commentaries by the poets, which afford insight into their compositional choices and personalities.

This is a crucial annual purchase to keep me informed about the varied voices and publications in poetry.

How did David Lehman and Major Jackson think including their own poems was even remotely appropriate? Big swing and a miss.