Hammer and Blaze

Edward Hirsch, Thomas Lux, Louise Gl ck and Stephen Dobyns are some of the bards showcased in Hammer and Blaze: A Gathering of Contemporary American Poets. The volume gathers work by poets who have taught at the Warren Wilson MFA Program, including editors Ellen Bryant Voigt (Kyrie) and Heather McHugh (The Father of the Predicaments). A range of styles is reflected, from Carl Phillips's neoclassical lyrics to Campbell McGrath's ""Because This Is Florida"": ""Because this is Florida, we can be what we choose to be,/ say, Dixie-fried Cubano rednecks. It's that kind of place./ When the heavy metal band plays `Rocky Top, Tennessee'...."" (Aug.)