Poets Work Other Side of

I came across this book randomly and was whacked open like a melon. Sam Hamill is humbling. Few living writers can match his erudition, passion, and sensitivity. He is swimming the river of heroes. And long may he swim.

This is an excellent book which explores the social, academic, cultural, and moral meanings of being a poet in modern US society. It is an important book for anyone who wants to think about what it means to be a poet today, and why we write poetry. But the reader should understand that this is not a "how-to" book. Hamill does not cover any of the elements of writing skills or how to get published. This is a book about poetry, not about how to write poetry.

Sam Hamill opens the door to the life behind the poetry with his essays and reviews. He never shrinks from stating plainly his feelings about the profession of poetry, as opposed to those who use poetry as a form of self-help. While some carp about Hamill's indulgence with the insider's game of poetry, these are useful and honest essays from a poetry insider who still lives in the real world; a non-academic who is a true scholar, and ultimately, a lover of the poetic tongue.