POETRY FROM PARADISE VALLEY

POETRY FROM PARADISE VALLEY
Click Image to Visit the Pecan Grove Press Web Page for Poetry from Paradise Valley

POETRY FROM PARADISE VALLEY web page

Poetry From Paradise Valley

Pecan Grove Press has released an anthology of poems, a sampling of works published in Valparaiso Poetry Review during its first decade, from the original 1999-2000 volume to the 2009-2010 volume.


Poetry from Paradise Valley includes a stellar roster of 50 poets. Among the contributors are a former Poet Laureate of the United States, a winner of the Griffin International Prize, two Pulitzer Prize winners, two National Book Award winners, two National Book Critics Circle winners, six finalists for the National Book Award, four finalists for the National Book Critics Circle Award, two finalists for the Pulitzer Prize, and a few dozen recipients of other honors, such as fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, etc.

Readers are encouraged to visit the Poetry from Paradise Valley page at the publisher's web site, where ordering information about the book can be found.

Best Books of Indiana 2011: Finalist. Judges' Citation: "Poetry from Paradise Valley is an excellent anthology that features world-class poetry, including the work of many artists from the Midwest, such as Jared Carter, Annie Finch, David Baker, and Allison Joseph. It’s an eclectic and always interesting collection where poems on similar themes flow into each other. It showcases the highest caliber of U. S. poetry."
—Indiana Center for the Book, Indiana State Library

Monday, May 10, 2010

Review of SEEDED LIGHT in POEMELEON

After I announced on Friday that a review of my latest collection of poems, Seeded Light (Turning Point Books, 2010), has been published at Rattle, I was pleased to also learn that another review of Seeded Light appears in the current issue of Poemeleon. I was especially delighted to see that the commentary offered by Zara Raab begins with a note about my first collection of poems, Along the Dark Shore, selected by John Ashbery for a series of books published by BOA Editions. Raab also draws comparison of Seeded Light with my previous collection, Tidal Air, and references an earlier volume, East of Omaha, both published by Pecan Grove Press. Indeed, I appreciate the reviewer’s comments reflecting her knowledge and coverage of my work over the years, as well as indicating an awareness of various transitions that have occurred in the style or focus of my work.

Raab nicely describes the form and effects found in the poetry of Seeded Light, correctly detecting my intentions in the style I have chosen: “Rich, shaded, and subtle in texture, with second lines often bleeding into the next couplet, these open couplets expand meaning, encouraging the reader to follow.” I’m also honored by her complimentary comments connecting my poetry to other poets who have emphasized similar themes to those evident in mine, particularly through the use of natural imagery: “Though his aesthetic shares more akin with Wallace Stevens than Mary Oliver, Byrne has Oliver’s sensitivity to nature, without her need to draw obvious lessons from it.”

Again, I recommend this review to readers as an introduction to the poetry in Seeded Light and perhaps as an invitation for all to purchase the volume. In addition, I remind everyone to view the sidebar of this blog where discounts on Seeded Light and Tidal Air are now available in time for inclusion in summer reading lists.

1 comment:

H. Palmer Hall said...

Ed,
Richly deserved praise for a fine collection of poems!
--Palmer