snowmaiden's review
4.0
I always seem to miss hearing about these local poetry anthologies during the time they're open for submissions, but I'm glad I heard about this one now. I especially appreciated the selection of several poems for each of the 17 poets, as it gave me more of an idea of a given poet's range and interests.
All of the usual suspects in North Dakota poetry are included here. There are a variety of poems from North Dakota poet laureate Larry Woiwode, including several of the concrete poems that he is best known for. Debra Marquart, probably the best known North Dakota poet, is also represented here, although I was a little disappointed that her included poems are all taken from her "greatest hits." I'd been hoping to see something new from her, but of course I can't complain about seeing all of her best poems in one place.
Of the lesser-known North Dakota poets included in this collection, Madelyne Camrud was the most surprising to me. She was the host of a local talk show that my mother watched religiously, but I never had an inkling that she also wrote poetry. When I saw her name in the table of contents, I was afraid her work had been included only because of her local celebrity, but I was pleased to find that her poems were some of the strongest in the anthology. (I must check out her full-length collection now.) Two other poets that I was pleased to be introduced to were Robert King and Lisa Linrud-Marcis. King was a professor in the English department during the time I was at UND, but I don't think I ever met him, and I certainly didn't know he was a poet. Linrud-Marcis is a total revelation to me, and I must find out more about her work as well.
I'm glad this book exists and has taken its place on the shelf next to other state poetry anthologies. Although the poetry community in North Dakota is small, it is much more vibrant than I expected. And if there's ever a second edition of this book, I hope somebody lets me know.
All of the usual suspects in North Dakota poetry are included here. There are a variety of poems from North Dakota poet laureate Larry Woiwode, including several of the concrete poems that he is best known for. Debra Marquart, probably the best known North Dakota poet, is also represented here, although I was a little disappointed that her included poems are all taken from her "greatest hits." I'd been hoping to see something new from her, but of course I can't complain about seeing all of her best poems in one place.
Of the lesser-known North Dakota poets included in this collection, Madelyne Camrud was the most surprising to me. She was the host of a local talk show that my mother watched religiously, but I never had an inkling that she also wrote poetry. When I saw her name in the table of contents, I was afraid her work had been included only because of her local celebrity, but I was pleased to find that her poems were some of the strongest in the anthology. (I must check out her full-length collection now.) Two other poets that I was pleased to be introduced to were Robert King and Lisa Linrud-Marcis. King was a professor in the English department during the time I was at UND, but I don't think I ever met him, and I certainly didn't know he was a poet. Linrud-Marcis is a total revelation to me, and I must find out more about her work as well.
I'm glad this book exists and has taken its place on the shelf next to other state poetry anthologies. Although the poetry community in North Dakota is small, it is much more vibrant than I expected. And if there's ever a second edition of this book, I hope somebody lets me know.
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