Our Clever Best

Our Clever Best Genevieve Kaplan The Best American Poetry 2005 Edited by Paul Muldoon Scribner http://www.simonsays.com 217 pages; paper, $16.00 On this year's cover, Robert Pinsky tells us that Best American Poetry is "a vivid snapshot of what a distinguished poet finds exciting, fresh and memorable ...a good comprehensive overview of contemporary poetry. . .." Beyond this, BestAmerican Poetry introduces readers to new poets and gives a sort of a "state of the state" of current American poetry. I've always enjoyedthe series forthese reasons—and as the yearly editor plays a key role in the annual selections, it's equally as interesting to experience that editor's aesthetic. This year, I find myselfin disagreement with the editor, Paul Muldoon. Muldoon praises his choice of poems for their "variousness." The poems presented in this edition are varied, with voices ranging from Charles Bukowski to Donald Justice to Heather McHugh to lesser-known authors like CeciliaWoloch and Jamey Dunham. But Muldoon's aesthetic is the problem, as he glorifies the "clever" in poetry. In his introduction, Muldoon classifies BethAnn Fennelly's "I Need to be More French. OrJapanese" as "sly," and, gleefully, he tells readers that Kay Ryan's "Home to Roost" is "every-bit-as-sly." I like these poems, too, but it's weird that Muldoon wants to point out only their slyness. Why not their greatness? Their fine use ofcraft?Theirdeliberate and strange content?Why not praise what is "exciting, fresh and memorable"? As we flip through the book, it appears that poetry, in 2005, need only be clever to be labeled "Best." For example, Jerome Sala's "Media Effects" begins with advertising is Poetry with a small "p" poetry is Advertising with a small "a" advertising is Advertising with a small "a" poetry is Poetry with a small "p" Clever! —capitalization ofwords! I'm not impressed. Sala even says in his biographical note that he "found this idea amusing enough to generate a poem." I've always appreciated the "Contributors' Notes and Comments" section at the end of Best American Poetry , but Sala's amusement serves only to diminish the effect of his poetry, and such flippancy provides a sound argument for removing the contributor notes section entirely. Wit, as theprimary determinant, might contribute to a loss in esteem forpoets and theirpractice. Another unfortunate choice is James Cummins's "The Poets March on Washington," which consists solely of the lines What do we want? Immortality! When do we want it? Now! repeated three times with slight variations in punctuation . Clever. Or as Cummins himselfputs it, "satire." If a poem is meant only to be amusing, why aren't there limericks in this book? After all, they, too, have that slyness Muldoon is after. Both the Cummins and Sala poems mightultimately be contributing to aloss in esNewBooks from Hanging Loose Press Mark Pawlak Official Versions "A literaryjourney charged with the sheerjoy of words.. ..He Is our most politically conscious poet and, as such, puts conscience back Into poetry where It Is sorely needed" -Michael Basinskl. Pawlak "Is out to celebrate how insane and touching language can be." - Kimiko Hahn. His fifth collection. Paper, $15. Hardcover. $25. Christien Gholson On the Side of the Crow A strong debut by a writer who writes prose poems of depth and vitality. "These are poems ofprecision and perception. The wonderful stories they contain are larger than the words it takes to tell them. Here are people to remember, a world to pFaise." - Karen Joy Fowler. Paper, $15. Hardcover, $25. Joanna Fuhrman Moraine In her third collection, "she reigns supreme In these polyphonic, textured, and generous poems." - Denise Duhamel. Ofher previous book: "Passionate and politically savvy....Don't miss this one." Publishers Weekly. "Intensely moving." American Book Review. Paper, $15. Hardcover, $25. Keith Taylor Guilty at the Rapture Stories and poems. About his previous book: Taylor delights readers with tight flashes ofinsight." Publishers Weekly. "A graceful work offiction....It makes us wonder whether all simple things are not also strange." - Bob Hicok. "Haunting" - The Midwest Book Review. Paper, $15. Hardcover, $25. Hanging Loose Magazine #88 Jayne Cortez, Wayne Koestenbaum, Martín Espada, Faye Kicknosway, Maggie Nelson, Jack Anderson, Morton Marcus...