Donnelly, Margarita, McFarland, Beverly, and Reaman, Micki, eds. A Fierce brightness: Twenty-five Years of Women's Poetry. Corvallis, OR: Calyx Books, 2002.
SYNOPSIS: This collection covers 25 years of women's poetry and includes a diverse body of work.
WHAT I LOVED: This was a truly diverse collection both in terms of subject matter and in poets. Some poets are well known and some are new up-and-comers. I loved that this book exposed me to some new writers whose work I plan on reading. One name in particular is Francis Payne Adler. I found her poems intensely personal and I'm excited to read more of her work.
WHAT I LIKED: I liked that the poems chosen for this work engaged in some challenging and sensitive subject matter. It was bold and unapologetic
RECOMMENDED FOR: Readers who are interested in reading a wide variety of work from many talented poets. Readers who aren't sure where to begin in gaining more exposure to women's poetry would also appreciate this book.
NOT RECOMMENDED FOR: Readers expecting a lot of form poetry might be turned off by the numerous free form poems.
4.5 darts out of 5
