The Maine Poets

More than most states, Maine has always had a rich literary heritage, including such poetic luminaries as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Edwin Arlington Robinson, and Edna St. Vincent Millay. Some of the work of these three, plus that of 34 other poets, make up this comprehensive anthology. Editor Wesley McNair has selected the finest poems by Maine's best poets, and the styles range from classic to contemporary. Not all of the poems to be found here are exclusively about Maine -- proof of the universal reach and appeal of both region and writer -- but each verse certainly conveys aspects of Maine's unique character, be it a staunch work ethic, a tone of wry Yankee humor, or the morality of Puritan values. Poems were not chosen for their popularity; readers looking for an old favorite might not find it here, but will perhaps be led to a new understanding and appreciation of Maine's poets.