Edited by Pulitzer Prize-winner and nineteenth US Poet Laureate Natasha
Trethewey, The Best American Poetry 2017 brings together the most
notable poems of the year in the series that offers "a vivid snapshot of
what a distinguished poet finds exciting, fresh, and memorable" (Robert
Pinsky).Librarian of Congress James Billington says Natasha Trethewey
"consistently and dramatically expanded the power" of the role of US
Poet Laureate, holding office hours with the public, traveling the
country, and reaching millions through her innovative PBS NewsHour
segment "Where Poetry Lives." Marilyn Nelson says "the wide scope of
Trethewey's interests and her adept handling of form have created an
opus of classics both elegant and necessary." With her selections and
introductory essay for The Best American Poetry 2017, Trethewey will be
highlighting even more "elegant and necessary" poems and poets, adding
to the national conversation of verse and its role in our culture. The
Best American Poetry is not just another anthology; it serves as a guide
to who's who and what's happening in American poetry and is an eagerly
awaited publishing event each year. With Trethewey's insightful touch
and genius for plumbing the depths of history and personal experience to
shape striking verse, The Best American Poetry 2017 is another brilliant
addition to the series.
