The Big Poetry Book Giveaway: 2011

As we approach the beginning of April, designated as National Poetry Month, fellow blogger Kelli Russell Agodon has once again initiated a “poetry book giveaway” on the web and invited those of us who blog about poetry to participate. Kelli explains that, as a way to celebrate National Poetry Month, bloggers are urged to offer two books to be given away to visitors. One book can be one’s own and the other ought to be authored by a favorite poet. I believe this is an excellent idea, and I have decided to join in the activity. However, as a bonus, I have decided to offer a third collection of poetry.

Consequently, I vow to give the following three books, one each to be mailed free of charge to the winning readers: a hardcover copy of Adrienne Rich’s new collection, Tonight No Poetry Will Serve: Poems 2007-2010; my own book of poems, Seeded Light; and Poetry from Paradise Valley, the anthology of poetry from the first decade of Valparaiso Poetry Review.

Information about Seeded Light and Poetry from Paradise Valley can be found above or in the sidebar on this blog page. Tonight No Poetry Will Serve: Poems 2007-2010, published by W.W. Norton in January, is the latest of more than thirty collections of poetry by Adrienne Rich since her first book was awarded the Yale Series Younger Poets Prize in 1951. Rich comments on the book flap: “I believe almost everything I know, have come to understand, is somewhere in this book.”

As Agodon suggests, everyone who posts a comment below in response to this post between now and midnight of April 30, 2011 will be eligible for the free books, and I will use a random number generator to decide the winners. You only need to include your name and an e-mail address in your comment as a way to contact you. Readers are also urged to visit Kelli’s site to learn about other bloggers participating in the poetry book giveaway. Good luck!