This unique poetry resource offers interpretations of 250 poems, representing the work of 86 poets from a wide spectrum of historical, contemporary, ethnic, and canonical writers. Organization of this volume facilitates easy access to information on poetry for users' individual purposes. The main section of the guide contains narrative essays on 21 alphabetically arranged themes that recur throughout the rich history of American poetry.
In each section, the explications of individual poems are arranged chronologically to trace the evolution of a particular theme over time. Educators teaching thematic units will find relevant essays here appropriate as either background presentation, discussion ideas, or student assignments. Following each entry, the poems are listed with information about the anthologies in which they may be found. Most of the abbreviations used here correspond to the codes used inThe Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry in Anthology, familiar to most librarians. This guide is ideal for librarians and teachers who need to identify and locate poems on a given theme, and for students and lovers of poetry who wish to enrich their understanding of the thematic meanings of poems.
ALLAN BURNS is Assistant Professor of English at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. His interests include American Poetry and American nature writing. His articles and reviews have been published in
American Literary Realism,
American Literature,
English Studies,
The Henry James Reviewand
Papers on Language and Literature.
Introduction
Art and Beauty
Civilization
Family Relations
Freedom and Slavery
The Individual and Society
Innocence and Experience
Life and Death
Loss
Love and Sex
Memory
Nature
Obligations and Choices
Poetry
The Self
Skepticism and Belief
Suffering and Joy
Thought and Perception
Time and Change
Tradition and Heritage
Truth and Appearance
Wal
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