Poetry

The Best American Poetry 2021

The Best American Poetry 2021

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  • Create Date：2022-07-30 06:54:32
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Tracy K. Smith
  • ISBN：1982106638
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Summary

The 2021 edition of the leading collection of contemporary American poetry is guest edited by the former US Poet Laureate Tracy K。 Smith， providing renewed proof that this is “a ‘best’ anthology that really lives up to its title” （Chicago Tribune）。

Since 1988， The Best American Poetry series has been “one of the mainstays of the poetry publication world” （Academy of American Poets）。 Each volume presents a choice of the year’s most memorable poems， with comments from the poets themselves lending insight into their work。 The guest editor of The Best American Poetry 2021 is Tracy K。 Smith， the former United States Poet Laureate， whose own poems are， Toi Derricotte’s words， “beautiful and serene” in their surfaces with an underlying “sense of an unknown vastness。” In The Best American Poetry 2021， Smith has selected a distinguished array of works both vast and beautiful by such important voices as Henri Cole， Billy Collins， Louise Erdrich， Nobel laureate Louise Glück， Terrance Hayes， and Kevin Young。

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Reviews

mark mendoza ，

A bit of a disappointment。 Poetry obviously has many roles to play in a society。 But。。。 if this is read as America's response to the year 2021， the planet is truly FUCKED。 A bit of a disappointment。 Poetry obviously has many roles to play in a society。 But。。。 if this is read as America's response to the year 2021， the planet is truly FUCKED。 。。。more

Josephine Gawtry ，

god can i get a poem about a dog or some soup up in here why is it all like a letter addressed to america

Helmling ，

Lots of great selections from Smith。 Best pick: Rosa Alcala！

Kay ，

4。5 i really treasured the experience of reading not only contemporary poets， but present poets， people creating art right now。 it gave me an idea of the currents running through the poetry of this moment and what novelty and patterns are present today。 a lot of fantastic poems， some i didn’t love， but still exposed me to new forms of art and themes i wouldn’t have encountered。

Regine ，

Lively， wide-ranging。

Lisa M。 ，

I forgot to review this when I originally read it， so I may have forgotten some details。 This is my third year in a row reading this series， and this was my favorite entry。 2019 was too nepotistic， without the talent to support it; 2020 was good， but the editor selected one too many long poems I didn't connect with （and I don't have a problem with long poems， generally。） This entry was the most solid of the three， by far。 I will always rate these as 5 stars because I'll never like every poem and I forgot to review this when I originally read it， so I may have forgotten some details。 This is my third year in a row reading this series， and this was my favorite entry。 2019 was too nepotistic， without the talent to support it; 2020 was good， but the editor selected one too many long poems I didn't connect with （and I don't have a problem with long poems， generally。） This entry was the most solid of the three， by far。 I will always rate these as 5 stars because I'll never like every poem and there is a professional benefit from becoming familiar with which writers and presses are considered the most successful at this time。 I adore the contributors' notes and could only dream of being an editor and doing this in an anthology someday！ 。。。more

Meredith Cummings ，

Anthologies are always hit and miss， as is this one。

Anne ，

Favorites: "Some Call It God" by Jabari Asim; "Before the Riot" by Kwame Dawes; "Love" by Alex Dimitrov; "The End of Poetry" by Ada Limón; "Playing Dead" by Sally Wen Mao Favorites: "Some Call It God" by Jabari Asim; "Before the Riot" by Kwame Dawes; "Love" by Alex Dimitrov; "The End of Poetry" by Ada Limón; "Playing Dead" by Sally Wen Mao 。。。more

Lorraine ，

Better than many recent books in this series。 American poetry has been particularly amazing in the last 10 years and sadly few of this series’ volumes during the last decade have really reflected what’s going on in contemporary poetry。 This year’s is a vast improvement。 As usual， there are a few I didn’t connect with and one or two poems I found outright bad， but most of the book was filled with thought provoking， moving work。 Poems by Chen Chen， Natalie Diaz， Rita Dove， and Patricia Smith are s Better than many recent books in this series。 American poetry has been particularly amazing in the last 10 years and sadly few of this series’ volumes during the last decade have really reflected what’s going on in contemporary poetry。 This year’s is a vast improvement。 As usual， there are a few I didn’t connect with and one or two poems I found outright bad， but most of the book was filled with thought provoking， moving work。 Poems by Chen Chen， Natalie Diaz， Rita Dove， and Patricia Smith are standouts。 Oh， and Monica Youn’s as well。 。。。more

Sydney Austad ，

A collection that could have only been assembled for 2021。 The poems I really liked were:Some Call It God / Jabari AsimBenediction/ Joshua BennettAfter Tu Fu / Christopher BuckleyMarfa， Texas / Victoria ChangThe School of Eternities / Chen ChenBefore the Riot / Kwame DawesNaji， 14。 Philadelphia。 / Rita DoveHunger / Rachel Eliza GriffethsWhen my Sorrow was Born / Emily Lee LuanPlaying Dead / Sally Wen Maoa brief meditation of breath / Yesenia MontillaIrony / Kamilah Aisha MoonElegy with Table Saw A collection that could have only been assembled for 2021。 The poems I really liked were:Some Call It God / Jabari AsimBenediction/ Joshua BennettAfter Tu Fu / Christopher BuckleyMarfa， Texas / Victoria ChangThe School of Eternities / Chen ChenBefore the Riot / Kwame DawesNaji， 14。 Philadelphia。 / Rita DoveHunger / Rachel Eliza GriffethsWhen my Sorrow was Born / Emily Lee LuanPlaying Dead / Sally Wen Maoa brief meditation of breath / Yesenia MontillaIrony / Kamilah Aisha MoonElegy with Table Saw and Cobwebs / Patrick PhillipsBlood / Margaret Rossbrown and black people on shark tank / Angbeen SaleemThe stuff of astounding: a golden shovel for Juneteenth / Patricia SmithCopernicus / Paul Tran 。。。more

Dana DesJardins ，

This was the best collection of American poetry I've read in some time， and I think that is due to editor and （fabulous） poet Tracy K。 Smith。 Skip series editor David Lehman's introduction， rife with such vague pronouncements as， "For poets who teach or work at universities， the pandemic will have profound consequences。" Do tell！ I dog-eared 15 poems in this volume， many with arch titles like Ada Limon's "The End of Poetry" and Major Jackson's "Double Major。" I do wish there were more technicall This was the best collection of American poetry I've read in some time， and I think that is due to editor and （fabulous） poet Tracy K。 Smith。 Skip series editor David Lehman's introduction， rife with such vague pronouncements as， "For poets who teach or work at universities， the pandemic will have profound consequences。" Do tell！ I dog-eared 15 poems in this volume， many with arch titles like Ada Limon's "The End of Poetry" and Major Jackson's "Double Major。" I do wish there were more technically accomplished work; for example， black-out poetry is more middle-school innovation than avant-garde。 Notably， Terrance Hayes' brilliant "George Floyd" shows how line breaks and classical tropes can be deployed to devastating effect， concluding: "Emmett/ till the break of day Emmett till/ the river runs dry your face/ the music of the spheres/ Emmett till the end of time"。 Though overtly political and topical poetry dominates this volume， that is not a flaw。 As June Jordan wrote， "Poetry is a political act because it involves telling the truth。" 。。。more

Grace ，

I did enjoy reading the selection of poetry， but none of them struck a chord with me this year。

Michael ，

I’m very glad I read this collection。 I met some new poets through this。 It is a strong collection。 It offered a window into this country， and into our lives together here， that is unique and necessary。 I really liked it。

Tyler ，

Tracy K Smith seems like a wonderful， passionate author， but by-golly， she has no clue what she’s doing with this anthology。 For starters， it’s a POLITICAL anthology， not a POETRY anthology。 Not to say political poetry cannot be good， by Jesus！ No use in indoctrinating someone who is also a believer—there are some poems in here （very， very， very few） which are not political。 Some of those poems are good。 Even fewer are both political AND good （cf。 Before the Riot， Naji。 14 Philadelphia， and Geor Tracy K Smith seems like a wonderful， passionate author， but by-golly， she has no clue what she’s doing with this anthology。 For starters， it’s a POLITICAL anthology， not a POETRY anthology。 Not to say political poetry cannot be good， by Jesus！ No use in indoctrinating someone who is also a believer—there are some poems in here （very， very， very few） which are not political。 Some of those poems are good。 Even fewer are both political AND good （cf。 Before the Riot， Naji。 14 Philadelphia， and George Floyd。）Other poems I found bearable include:DivinationLove Poem That Ends at PopeyesAfter the ApocalypseInterstate Highway SystemConquererHungerElegy With Table Saw & CobwebsPages 5-8But really， do yourself a favor and CHOOSE A DIFFERENT ANTHOLOGY。 Modern poetry isn’t incredible， but it’s not THIS bad！ 。。。more

Peycho Kanev ，

RITA DOVE Naji， 14。 Philadelphia。A bench， a sofa， anyplace flat—just let me downsomewhere quiet， please，a strange lap， a patch of grass…What a fine cup of miseryI’ve brought you， Mama—crackedand hissing with bees。Is that your hand？ Good， I didgood: I swear I didn’t yank or glare。If I rest my cheek on the curb， let it drain…They say we bring it on ourselvesand trauma is what they feelwhen they rage up flashingin their spit-shined carsshouting Who do you think you are？until everybody’s hoarse。I’m RITA DOVE Naji， 14。 Philadelphia。A bench， a sofa， anyplace flat—just let me downsomewhere quiet， please，a strange lap， a patch of grass…What a fine cup of miseryI’ve brought you， Mama—crackedand hissing with bees。Is that your hand？ Good， I didgood: I swear I didn’t yank or glare。If I rest my cheek on the curb， let it drain…They say we bring it on ourselvesand trauma is what they feelwhen they rage up flashingin their spit-shined carsshouting Who do you think you are？until everybody’s hoarse。I’m better now。 Pounding’s nearly stopped。Next time I promise I’ll watch my step。I’ll disappear before they can’tunsee me: better gonethan one more drop in a sea of red。 。。。more

Casey Marie ，

Every single piece in this collection is a work of art。 2021 is the sweet spot of pandemic poetry - not as dark as the early desperation of 2020 - and not quite urgent to be read。 But beautiful。 Every line will resonate with someone。 New poets， old poets， & everyone in between will enjoy Tracy K。 Smith’s curation of what can only be described as， “The Best American Poetry” of 2021。

Mike ，

A truly superb collection。 Such an incredible range of wonderful poetry！The End of Poetry by Ada LimónEnough of osseous and chickadee and sunflowerand snowshoes， maple and seeds， samara and shoot，enough chiaroscuro， enough of thus and prophecyand the stoic farmer and faith and our father and tisof thee， enough of bosom and bud， skin and godnot forgetting and star bodies and frozen birds，enough of the will to go on and not go on or howa certain light does a certain thing， enoughof the kneeling an A truly superb collection。 Such an incredible range of wonderful poetry！The End of Poetry by Ada LimónEnough of osseous and chickadee and sunflowerand snowshoes， maple and seeds， samara and shoot，enough chiaroscuro， enough of thus and prophecyand the stoic farmer and faith and our father and tisof thee， enough of bosom and bud， skin and godnot forgetting and star bodies and frozen birds，enough of the will to go on and not go on or howa certain light does a certain thing， enoughof the kneeling and the rising and the lookinginward and the looking up， enough of the gun，the drama， and the acquaintance’s suicide， the long-lostletter on the dresser， enough of the longing andthe ego and the obliteration of ego， enoughof the mother and the child and the father and the childand enough of the pointing to the world， wearyand desperate， enough of the brutal and the border，enough of can you see me， can you hear me， enoughI am human， enough I am alone and I am desperate，enough of the animal saving me， enough of the highwater， enough sorrow， enough of the air and its ease，I am asking you to touch me。 。。。more

Spencer Chang ，

first "legit" poetry book but I really liked the variety it housed in topics and structure。 gave me lots of inspo for my own writing！ first "legit" poetry book but I really liked the variety it housed in topics and structure。 gave me lots of inspo for my own writing！ 。。。more

Haley ，

Love these selections！

Beth ，

I mean， the concept of this book is fantastic and they were pieces that I really enjoyed， but as a whole was a miss for me。 It just could have been better from my point of view。 I think is just a personal thing。

Margo Hollingsworth ，

So many of these poems are so beautiful and heartbreaking。 These anthologies are hit or miss for me， but this one HIT。 For sure。 Just… wow。 Beautiful work。

Tom O’Leary ，

Incandescent， illuminating， heart rending。 Such amazing writing in this world today。 How blessed we are。

Kennedy ，

I think like any compilation of stories or poems， there were things I loved and was moved by and some that fell flat。

Zane Carey ，

A few of these poems were very good。A bunch I skimmed。But the authors notes on their poems at the end were really enlightening。

Carly ，

I've never read one of these anthologies before， but I loved Tracy K。 Smith's work as editor of this year's edition。 Full of poems that captivated me and challenged me。 I particularly enjoyed reading about the poets and the short notes regarding their poems。 This was a gift I so enjoyed to read。 I've never read one of these anthologies before， but I loved Tracy K。 Smith's work as editor of this year's edition。 Full of poems that captivated me and challenged me。 I particularly enjoyed reading about the poets and the short notes regarding their poems。 This was a gift I so enjoyed to read。 。。。more

Maddy King ，

Fav poems:“Love poem that ends at Popeyes”“The school of eternities”“Love”“Two mule deer”“December”

Liz ，

It’s such a treat every year to encounter so many good poets， those I’ve admired for ages—Louise Gluck， Kevin Young—and those whom I’ve come to know in the past few years: Chen Chen， Victoria Chang， Alex Dimitrov。 And then there are those I encounter for the first time—Adam Davis， for instance， whose “Interstate Highway System” in this collection is a stunning， haunted poem。 Other favorites: Ada Limon’s “The End of Poetry” 💯。 Billy Collins， “On the Death of Friends”Chen Chen， “The School of Eter It’s such a treat every year to encounter so many good poets， those I’ve admired for ages—Louise Gluck， Kevin Young—and those whom I’ve come to know in the past few years: Chen Chen， Victoria Chang， Alex Dimitrov。 And then there are those I encounter for the first time—Adam Davis， for instance， whose “Interstate Highway System” in this collection is a stunning， haunted poem。 Other favorites: Ada Limon’s “The End of Poetry” 💯。 Billy Collins， “On the Death of Friends”Chen Chen， “The School of Eternities”Jericho Brown， “Work”Destiny Birdsong， “love poem that ends at popeyes”Paul Tran， “Copernicus”John Yau， “Overnight”Monica Youn， “Caution” 。。。more

Ross ，

Selection of 75 poems published over the past year。 A mixed set， but overall enjoyable。

Natalie T。 ，

Outstanding collection of poetry culled from the year 2020， marked by the emergence of the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests stemming from George Floyd's murder。 Guest editor Tracy K。 Smith has done a masterful job representing this tumultuous year with poems that address all its sorrow and surprises， all its regret and its heroism， and all the tenderness that keeps us human in the midst of calamity。 So many of these poems are about love--but not just one-to-one romance， but love for Outstanding collection of poetry culled from the year 2020， marked by the emergence of the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests stemming from George Floyd's murder。 Guest editor Tracy K。 Smith has done a masterful job representing this tumultuous year with poems that address all its sorrow and surprises， all its regret and its heroism， and all the tenderness that keeps us human in the midst of calamity。 So many of these poems are about love--but not just one-to-one romance， but love for our world， the trees and the shorelines， the gathering places and grocery stores， and the dear but vanished past of our cherished memories。 Many brilliant young poets are heard here， joining familiar names。Particular thanks to Tracy K。 Smith for the extensive Contributors' Notes and Comments section which begins on page 171; she has invited the poets to comment， if they wish， on their writing process and/or the origin of their poem。 Not every poet does so， but for those who do， a reader learns so much to enhance their understanding of the work！ It's like a private conversation with the poet at a reading。 Many thanks， too， to the poets who spoke about their work--especially those who explained intricate forms and rhyme schemes I would never have uncovered on my own。 Wow。 I salute you all。Definitely one of the best books I read in 2021。 Great to end the year on such a high note！ 。。。more

Chris ，

I enjoyed this anthology。 I read many poems that I wouldn't have otherwise， and I respect the editor and was curious what she thought was memorable from this year。 Some things I loved， some I didn't， and that's the nature of anthologies。 I enjoyed this anthology。 I read many poems that I wouldn't have otherwise， and I respect the editor and was curious what she thought was memorable from this year。 Some things I loved， some I didn't， and that's the nature of anthologies。 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Best American Poetry 2021

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Best American Poetry 2021&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Best American Poetry 2021&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0