Who Reads Poetry: 50 Views from ‘Poetry’

Sasaki and Share—art director and editor-in-chief, respectively, for Poetry magazine—have compiled 50 ways of looking at poetry from past contributions to the magazine. The contributors, many of whom aren’t poets themselves, include visual artists, singer-songwriters, doctors, a cartoonist, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general, a philosopher, and a former Major League Baseball player. Many address the question of what characterizes the best poetry, arriving at conclusions such as that poetry is most effective when “stretching past the limit of words” or when filling the “gap between reason and emotion.” The diversity of the authors results in an exceptionally broad range of topics and perspectives. For example, actor Alfred Molina explores the similarities between poetry and the stage, music journalist Rob Kenner explores the discipline’s relationship to hip-hop and rap music, and novelist Aleksandar Hemon explores how poetry can capture the reality of war. Many of the contributors also tell intimate stories about poetry’s place in their personal lives. Sasaki and Share have chosen these pieces well. Misses are few and far between, and the successes offer wisdom, humor, and intellectual vigor. This is a rewarding effort and at its conclusion, readers may find themselves inspired to reach for their favorite poet’s works.[em] (Oct.) [/em]