The Best American Poetry 2003

The Best American Poetry is not just a poetry collection; it’s an eagerly anticipated event. Like its predecessors, The Best American Poetry 2003 is a definitive “who’s who” and “what’s happening” in American verse, spotlighting the most talented poets at work today in the United States. “Poetry encourages us to have dialogue through the observed, the felt, and the imaginary,” writes editor Yusef Komunyakaa in his thought-provoking introduction. As a black child of the American South and a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War, Komunyakaa brings his singular vision to this outstanding volume. Included here is a diverse mix of senior masters (Richard Wilbur, the late Kenneth Koch), crowd-pleasing bards (Billy Collins, Rita Dove), rising stars (Catherine Bowman, Tony Hoagland) and the fresh voices of an emerging generation (Natasha Trethewey, Daniel Nester). With comments from the poets elucidating their work and series editor David Lehman’s eloquent foreword assessing the state of the art, The Best American Poetry 2003 is a must-have for readers of contemporary poetry.