Super Gay Poems

In this well selected and compulsively readable anthology, Harvard English professor Burt (We Are Mermaids) presents 51 poems that address and exemplify queerness in America. In the introduction, Burt explains that she chose to only include poems published post-1969, establishing the year of the Stonewall riots as the inception of modern queer identity. She additionally provides helpful context for each poem in an accompanying essay. The anthology moves chronologically, beginning with Frank O’Hara’s “Homosexuality,” which addresses closeted life in its opening line, “So we are taking off our masks, are we, and keeping/ our mouths shut.” From the 1990s to the 2000s, the anthology introduces an increasing number of poets of trans and other gender identities, including the glorious ode to genderqueer sex “Suits and Ties” by Samuel Ace. Danez Smith’s 2022 poem “Waiting for You to Die So I Can Be Myself” picks up where O’Hara left off, articulating the strain of hiding one’s true self: “i want to say something without saying it/ but there’s no time. i’m waiting for a few folks/ i love dearly to die so i can be myself.” Burt’s insightful commentary draws through lines between eras and poets, making this a valuable text for the classroom and a dynamic and comprehensive collection for casual readers of contemporary poetry. (Apr.)