NYRB Celebrates National Poetry Month
New York Review Books
The Academy of American Poets declared April as Poetry Month in 1996, and we’ve been doing our part to enrich the range of poetry available to the reading public. From award-winning new translations of century-old classics to celebrated anthologies, NYRB has a diverse assortment of verse for you to celebrate the month. And don’t forget: the month long celebration culminates on April 29th with “Poem in Your Pocket Day,” where everyone is encouraged to carry a poem around and share it with friends.
And as a tribute to the month, a poem:
Books on poets and poetry;
We have more than a few.
From Dante, to The Stray Dog Cabaret,
Did we mention Charles Simic, too?
The War and the Iliad twice dissects Homer’s epic,
While our tome on the T’ang begins with Tu Fu,
And the precise, haunting Poems of Osip Mandelstam,
Have W.S. Merwin and Clarence Brown in cahoots.
Held high on our list is Amit Chadhuri,
Who spotlights the brilliance of Koltakar’s Jejuri.
And whipping your knowledge of Latin literature into shape,
Is Gilbert Highet’s just published Poets in a Landscape.
There’s a book of “good bad verse”
And good verse gone real wrong,
Put all into perspective
By former poet laureate Billy Collins.
Even our books for children have rollicking rhythm,
So if your kid’s vocab needs spice,
Give them the unfettered thoughts of Alastair Reid’s soon out Supposing,
or the wondrous waywardness of Ounce Dice Trice.
In April we salute Auden, Byron, and Anne Carson,
(and we have all—in 5x8 format—to fit your pocket or purse),
So join us all month in celebrating Poetry,
Balladry, Poesy, Rhymes, and Verse.
April 11, 2010, 8:42 a.m.