Poet's choice

Few people work harder, and for less reward, than poets, especially American poets. In a country where only half the people read even one book of any kind a year, the poet is virtually ignored; his books sell badly and usually at a loss to the publisher; his readers number not many more than the sum total of his fellow poets and their students. There are some exceptions, but for every Robert Frost there are dozens of greatly talented and even important poets whose names are virtually unknown to educated people. It may be useless to chide the spirit of the times, but it is worth noting and applauding the fact that poetry refuses to be stilled. What makes Poet's Choice a collection of genuine and unusual interest is the diversity of voices that are heard and the variety of reasons given by the poets for their stubborn unwillingness to keep quiet.