487:
1280:
47:
in 1988, has a different guest editor every year. Lehman, still the general editor of the series, each year contributes a foreword focusing on the state of contemporary poetry, and each year the edition's guest editor also contributes an introduction. The book titles in the series always follow the
1403:
series has become one of the mainstays of the poetry publication world". The
Academy website called the introductions to the collection by the guest editors, as well as Lehman's "state-of-poetry" forewords, "indespensible". As a whole, the anthologies "seem to capture the zeitgeist of the current
1407:
However, the
Academy article also noted that the series and its editors are "often criticized for their selections and assessments (common complaints include the exclusion of experimental poets, lack of diversity, and allegiance to poetry's "old guard") "
1347:
For poems that had first appeared more than a year in the past but which had been reprinted in a magazine during the previous calendar year, Lehman decided to have no rule ("To such questions, the anthologist's ever-ready response is: you just play it by
1340:
Poets would be asked to submit brief biographical information and, at their option, given the opportunity to write a bit about the poem chosen ("its form or its occasion or the method of composition or any other feature worth remarking
199:
1351:
Foreign poets residing in the United States, "especially in cases where the poet has come to seem a vital presence in a particular
American community", would be eligible to appear, and so
1680:
1675:
1670:
1665:
1660:
1655:
1388:. In his introduction to the 1989 volume, Donald Hall noted: "The series editor declined to be included." The series editor's own poems have not appeared in subsequent volumes.
237:
228:
219:
210:
189:
180:
171:
161:
143:
134:
124:
115:
106:
65:
remains one of the most popular and best-selling poetry books published each year and the series continues to provide a bird's-eye view of the breadth of
American poetry."
1590:
359:
70:
1331:
Each year's anthology would have poems from the previous calendar year (the 1988 anthology, for instance, would include only poems published in 1987);
1344:
The poems could come from magazines, including large-circulation periodicals and small presses, and in rare instances from books by individual poets;
1517:
17:
1716:
78:, who selected what he regarded as the seventy-five best poems from the previous ten anthologies. This was followed in 2013 by
1706:
1701:
1308:
1058:
1510:
1334:
There would be fifty to seventy-five poems in each annual anthology (in fact, there have always been 75 poems);
959:
1650:
1645:
1640:
1635:
1630:
1625:
1620:
1615:
1610:
1605:
1600:
1595:
1585:
1580:
1575:
1570:
1565:
1560:
1555:
1550:
1545:
1540:
1503:
454:
444:
435:
425:
415:
405:
396:
387:
378:
369:
349:
340:
330:
320:
311:
302:
293:
284:
274:
265:
255:
246:
152:
50:
1199:
1184:
1098:
1711:
58:
1301:
766:
89:
A collection of Lehman's forewords was published together as a look at contemporary poetry called
1238:
1209:
1204:
669:
1377:
Assist the guest editor, in particular by helping find poetry for the guest editor to look over;
1487:
1248:
690:
1321:
In his 1988 foreword to the first edition of the series, Lehman laid out the following rules:
1214:
1179:
1163:
1134:
639:
259:
1384:
John
Ashbery selected a poem by the series editor for inclusion in the inaugural volume of
949:
821:
486:
8:
1294:
1153:
861:
781:
756:
660:
373:
1229:
1158:
1143:
1053:
913:
843:
838:
806:
796:
761:
634:
232:
1479:
1352:
1284:
1253:
1243:
1017:
918:
791:
776:
725:
622:
165:
1194:
940:
898:
801:
610:
306:
119:
1495:
1391:
In Lehman's foreword to the 1992 book, he noted that translations are ineligible.
35:
series consists of annual poetry anthologies, each containing seventy-five poems.
1429:
1268:
1225:
969:
826:
816:
550:
494:
409:
1189:
1093:
908:
831:
720:
627:
391:
353:
315:
214:
193:
184:
138:
128:
1695:
1360:
1356:
1263:
1103:
1063:
811:
786:
771:
710:
419:
382:
278:
269:
250:
204:
175:
147:
83:
1367:
Lehman also wrote that he had set some tasks for himself as series editor:
1337:
The guest editor could select as many as three poems by an individual poet;
978:
903:
705:
605:
593:
458:
439:
400:
364:
297:
288:
241:
75:
44:
1471:
1125:
964:
954:
852:
695:
565:
555:
528:
448:
429:
324:
110:
68:
A compendium for the first decade of the series has also been published,
1115:
1037:
893:
871:
513:
478:
344:
156:
1258:
655:
560:
518:
334:
223:
80:
The Best of the Best
American Poetry: 25th Anniversary Edition (2013)
1148:
1088:
878:
523:
503:
1328:
Each year's guest editor would make the final selection of poems;
1120:
997:
883:
866:
747:
715:
700:
685:
543:
1432:, Academy of American Poets website. Retrieved January 21, 2006.
1110:
1083:
1032:
1027:
1002:
987:
600:
572:
533:
91:
The State of the Art: A Chronicle of
American Poetry, 1988–2014
1325:
Lehman would select a poet each year to serve as guest editor;
1007:
992:
888:
665:
617:
588:
508:
1012:
538:
48:
format of the first, changing only the year: for instance,
1022:
1399:
According to the
Academy of American Poets website, "he
200:
The Best of the Best
American Poetry 25th Anniversary
1525:
1394:
1693:
466:* editors who have also been U.S. poets laureate
1430:"Great Anthology: Best American Poetry Series"
360:The Best of the Best American Poetry 1988–1997
71:The Best of the Best American Poetry 1988–1997
1511:
1302:
86:selected 100 poems from the series' history.
1518:
1504:
1309:
1295:
101:The guest editors of the series, by year:
14:
1694:
1371:Maintain continuity from year to year;
1499:
1425:
1423:
1421:
43:The series, begun by poet and editor
470:
24:
1418:
1374:Enforce "such rules as there are";
1363:all made it into the 1988 edition.
74:, guest-edited by literary critic
25:
1728:
1465:
1395:Critical reception of the series
1278:
485:
96:
1404:attitudes in American poetry."
1717:Book series introduced in 1988
1448:
1435:
13:
1:
1456:The Best American Poetry 1992
1443:The Best American Poetry 1989
1411:
51:The Best American Poetry 1988
38:
18:The Best American Poetry 2018
27:Series of annual anthologies
7:
1707:American poetry anthologies
1702:Best American Poetry series
1441:Hall, Donald, Introduction
10:
1733:
1536:
1454:Lehman, David, Foreword,
59:Academy of American Poets
1528:The Best American Poetry
1386:The Best American Poetry
82:, in which guest editor
32:The Best American Poetry
1380:Pick the guest editor.
1285:Literature portal
1489:Best American Poetry
1481:Best American Poetry
1473:Best American Poetry
1401:Best American Poetry
1059:Groups and movements
63:Best American Poetry
1445:, 1989, page xxiii.
678:Short prose fiction
581:Major written forms
1172:Lists and outlines
648:Long prose fiction
1689:
1688:
1319:
1318:
1071:
1070:
926:
925:
733:
732:
471:Rules and process
166:Natasha Trethewey
57:According to the
16:(Redirected from
1724:
1712:Anthology series
1520:
1513:
1506:
1497:
1496:
1459:
1452:
1446:
1439:
1433:
1427:
1311:
1304:
1297:
1283:
1282:
1281:
937:
936:
744:
743:
645:
644:
489:
475:
474:
307:Yusef Komunyakaa
120:Matthew Zapruder
21:
1732:
1731:
1727:
1726:
1725:
1723:
1722:
1721:
1692:
1691:
1690:
1685:
1532:
1524:
1468:
1463:
1462:
1458:, 1992, page x.
1453:
1449:
1440:
1436:
1428:
1419:
1414:
1397:
1315:
1279:
1277:
1210:Literary awards
1076:Dramatic genres
817:science fiction
495:Oral literature
473:
463:
99:
41:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1730:
1720:
1719:
1714:
1709:
1704:
1687:
1686:
1684:
1683:
1678:
1673:
1668:
1663:
1658:
1653:
1648:
1643:
1638:
1633:
1628:
1623:
1618:
1613:
1608:
1603:
1598:
1593:
1588:
1583:
1578:
1573:
1568:
1563:
1558:
1553:
1548:
1543:
1537:
1534:
1533:
1523:
1522:
1515:
1508:
1500:
1494:
1493:
1485:
1484:series archive
1477:
1476:series website
1467:
1466:External links
1464:
1461:
1460:
1447:
1434:
1416:
1415:
1413:
1410:
1396:
1393:
1382:
1381:
1378:
1375:
1372:
1365:
1364:
1349:
1345:
1342:
1338:
1335:
1332:
1329:
1326:
1317:
1316:
1314:
1313:
1306:
1299:
1291:
1288:
1287:
1274:
1273:
1272:
1271:
1266:
1261:
1256:
1251:
1246:
1241:
1233:
1232:
1222:
1221:
1220:
1219:
1218:
1217:
1207:
1202:
1197:
1192:
1187:
1182:
1174:
1173:
1169:
1168:
1167:
1166:
1161:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1138:
1137:
1131:
1130:
1129:
1128:
1123:
1118:
1113:
1108:
1107:
1106:
1101:
1091:
1086:
1078:
1077:
1073:
1072:
1069:
1068:
1067:
1066:
1061:
1056:
1048:
1047:
1043:
1042:
1041:
1040:
1035:
1030:
1025:
1020:
1015:
1010:
1005:
1000:
995:
990:
982:
981:
975:
974:
973:
972:
967:
962:
957:
952:
944:
943:
933:
932:
928:
927:
924:
923:
922:
921:
916:
911:
906:
901:
896:
891:
886:
881:
876:
875:
874:
869:
856:
855:
849:
848:
847:
846:
841:
836:
835:
834:
829:
824:
819:
814:
809:
804:
799:
794:
789:
784:
779:
769:
764:
759:
751:
750:
740:
739:
735:
734:
731:
730:
729:
728:
723:
718:
713:
708:
703:
698:
693:
688:
680:
679:
675:
674:
673:
672:
663:
658:
650:
649:
643:
642:
637:
632:
631:
630:
620:
615:
614:
613:
608:
598:
597:
596:
583:
582:
578:
577:
576:
575:
570:
569:
568:
563:
553:
548:
547:
546:
541:
536:
531:
526:
521:
516:
511:
498:
497:
491:
490:
482:
481:
472:
469:
462:
461:
452:
442:
433:
423:
413:
403:
394:
392:Richard Howard
385:
376:
367:
356:
354:John Hollander
347:
338:
328:
318:
316:Robert Creeley
309:
300:
291:
282:
272:
263:
260:Charles Wright
253:
244:
235:
226:
217:
215:Denise Duhamel
208:
196:
194:Terrance Hayes
187:
185:Sherman Alexie
178:
169:
159:
150:
141:
139:Paisley Rekdal
132:
129:Tracy K. Smith
122:
113:
103:
98:
95:
40:
37:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1729:
1718:
1715:
1713:
1710:
1708:
1705:
1703:
1700:
1699:
1697:
1682:
1679:
1677:
1674:
1672:
1669:
1667:
1664:
1662:
1659:
1657:
1654:
1652:
1649:
1647:
1644:
1642:
1639:
1637:
1634:
1632:
1629:
1627:
1624:
1622:
1619:
1617:
1614:
1612:
1609:
1607:
1604:
1602:
1599:
1597:
1594:
1592:
1589:
1587:
1584:
1582:
1579:
1577:
1574:
1572:
1569:
1567:
1564:
1562:
1559:
1557:
1554:
1552:
1549:
1547:
1544:
1542:
1539:
1538:
1535:
1531:
1529:
1521:
1516:
1514:
1509:
1507:
1502:
1501:
1498:
1491:
1490:
1486:
1483:
1482:
1478:
1475:
1474:
1470:
1469:
1457:
1451:
1444:
1438:
1431:
1426:
1424:
1422:
1417:
1409:
1405:
1402:
1392:
1389:
1387:
1379:
1376:
1373:
1370:
1369:
1368:
1362:
1361:Derek Walcott
1358:
1357:Seamus Heaney
1354:
1350:
1346:
1343:
1339:
1336:
1333:
1330:
1327:
1324:
1323:
1322:
1312:
1307:
1305:
1300:
1298:
1293:
1292:
1290:
1289:
1286:
1276:
1275:
1270:
1267:
1265:
1262:
1260:
1257:
1255:
1252:
1250:
1247:
1245:
1242:
1240:
1237:
1236:
1235:
1234:
1231:
1227:
1224:
1223:
1216:
1213:
1212:
1211:
1208:
1206:
1203:
1201:
1198:
1196:
1193:
1191:
1188:
1186:
1183:
1181:
1178:
1177:
1176:
1175:
1171:
1170:
1165:
1162:
1160:
1157:
1155:
1152:
1150:
1147:
1145:
1142:
1141:
1140:
1139:
1136:
1133:
1132:
1127:
1124:
1122:
1119:
1117:
1114:
1112:
1109:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1096:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1087:
1085:
1082:
1081:
1080:
1079:
1075:
1074:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1051:
1050:
1049:
1045:
1044:
1039:
1036:
1034:
1031:
1029:
1026:
1024:
1021:
1019:
1016:
1014:
1011:
1009:
1006:
1004:
1001:
999:
996:
994:
991:
989:
986:
985:
984:
983:
980:
977:
976:
971:
968:
966:
963:
961:
958:
956:
953:
951:
948:
947:
946:
945:
942:
939:
938:
935:
934:
931:Poetry genres
930:
929:
920:
917:
915:
912:
910:
907:
905:
902:
900:
897:
895:
892:
890:
887:
885:
882:
880:
877:
873:
870:
868:
865:
864:
863:
860:
859:
858:
857:
854:
851:
850:
845:
842:
840:
837:
833:
830:
828:
825:
823:
820:
818:
815:
813:
810:
808:
805:
803:
800:
798:
795:
793:
790:
788:
785:
783:
782:coming-of-age
780:
778:
775:
774:
773:
770:
768:
765:
763:
760:
758:
755:
754:
753:
752:
749:
746:
745:
742:
741:
737:
736:
727:
724:
722:
719:
717:
714:
712:
711:Flash fiction
709:
707:
704:
702:
699:
697:
694:
692:
689:
687:
684:
683:
682:
681:
677:
676:
671:
667:
664:
662:
659:
657:
654:
653:
652:
651:
647:
646:
641:
638:
636:
633:
629:
626:
625:
624:
621:
619:
616:
612:
609:
607:
604:
603:
602:
599:
595:
592:
591:
590:
587:
586:
585:
584:
580:
579:
574:
571:
567:
564:
562:
559:
558:
557:
554:
552:
549:
545:
542:
540:
537:
535:
532:
530:
527:
525:
522:
520:
517:
515:
512:
510:
507:
506:
505:
502:
501:
500:
499:
496:
493:
492:
488:
484:
483:
480:
477:
476:
468:
467:
460:
456:
453:
450:
446:
443:
441:
437:
434:
431:
427:
424:
421:
420:Charles Simic
417:
414:
411:
407:
404:
402:
398:
395:
393:
389:
386:
384:
383:Adrienne Rich
380:
377:
375:
371:
368:
366:
362:
361:
357:
355:
351:
348:
346:
342:
339:
336:
332:
329:
326:
322:
319:
317:
313:
310:
308:
304:
301:
299:
295:
292:
290:
286:
283:
280:
279:Billy Collins
276:
273:
271:
270:Jericho Brown
267:
264:
261:
257:
254:
252:
251:David Wagoner
248:
245:
243:
239:
236:
234:
230:
227:
225:
221:
218:
216:
212:
209:
206:
205:Robert Pinsky
202:
201:
197:
195:
191:
188:
186:
182:
179:
177:
176:Edward Hirsch
173:
170:
167:
163:
160:
158:
154:
151:
149:
148:Major Jackson
145:
142:
140:
136:
133:
130:
126:
123:
121:
117:
114:
112:
108:
105:
104:
102:
97:Guest editors
94:
92:
87:
85:
84:Robert Pinsky
81:
77:
73:
72:
66:
64:
60:
55:
53:
52:
46:
36:
34:
33:
19:
1527:
1526:
1488:
1480:
1472:
1455:
1450:
1442:
1437:
1406:
1400:
1398:
1390:
1385:
1383:
1366:
1320:
844:Encyclopedic
822:supernatural
738:Prose genres
594:closet drama
465:
464:
459:John Ashbery
440:Jorie Graham
410:Louise Glück
401:A. R. Ammons
365:Harold Bloom
358:
298:Lyn Hejinian
289:Paul Muldoon
242:Amy Gerstler
198:
100:
90:
88:
79:
76:Harold Bloom
69:
67:
62:
56:
49:
45:David Lehman
42:
31:
30:
29:
1249:Composition
1126:Tragicomedy
965:Verse novel
853:Non-fiction
757:Speculative
696:Short story
566:spoken word
556:Performance
529:heroic epic
449:Donald Hall
430:Mark Strand
325:Robert Hass
233:Kevin Young
111:Elaine Equi
1696:Categories
1412:References
1164:Postmodern
1099:historical
1038:Villanelle
919:Travelogue
914:Persuasive
894:Journalism
872:philosophy
839:Historical
807:paranormal
767:Children's
640:Electronic
514:fairy tale
479:Literature
374:James Tate
345:Robert Bly
157:Dana Gioia
61:website, "
39:Background
1591:1988–1997
1259:Narrative
1244:Magazines
1239:Sociology
1230:criticism
1200:Movements
1159:Modernist
1149:Classical
941:Narrative
777:adventure
721:Religious
691:Novelette
656:Anthology
611:narrative
561:audiobook
519:folk play
335:Rita Dove
224:Mark Doty
1353:John Ash
1254:Language
1185:Glossary
1154:Medieval
1089:Libretto
1018:Limerick
970:National
960:Dramatic
950:Children
879:Anecdote
862:Academic
802:military
623:Nonsense
524:folksong
504:Folklore
1195:Writers
1180:Outline
1144:Ancient
1135:History
1121:Tragedy
998:Epigram
884:Epistle
867:history
827:western
812:romance
797:fantasy
762:Realist
748:Fiction
716:Parable
701:Drabble
686:Novella
670:romance
635:Ergodic
551:Oration
544:proverb
1530:series
1359:, and
1348:ear");
1269:Estate
1226:Theory
1215:poetry
1205:Cycles
1116:Script
1111:Satire
1084:Comedy
1033:Sonnet
1028:Qasida
1003:Ghazal
988:Ballad
909:Nature
899:Letter
832:horror
792:erotic
726:Wisdom
706:Sketch
661:Serial
601:Poetry
573:Saying
534:legend
1492:blog]
1341:on");
1190:Books
1104:moral
1064:Poets
1046:Lists
1008:Haiku
993:Elegy
979:Lyric
889:Essay
787:crime
772:Genre
666:Novel
628:verse
618:Prose
606:lyric
589:Drama
509:fable
1681:2015
1676:2014
1671:2013
1666:2012
1661:2011
1656:2010
1651:2009
1646:2008
1641:2007
1636:2006
1631:2005
1626:2004
1621:2003
1616:2002
1611:2001
1606:2000
1601:1999
1596:1998
1586:1997
1581:1996
1576:1995
1571:1994
1566:1993
1561:1992
1556:1991
1551:1990
1546:1989
1541:1988
1264:Feud
1228:and
1094:Play
1054:Epic
1013:Hymn
955:Epic
904:Life
539:myth
455:1988
445:1989
436:1990
426:1991
416:1992
406:1993
397:1994
388:1995
379:1996
370:1997
350:1998
341:1999
331:2000
321:2001
312:2002
303:2003
294:2004
285:2005
275:2006
266:2007
256:2008
247:2009
238:2010
229:2011
220:2012
211:2013
190:2014
181:2015
172:2016
162:2017
153:2018
144:2019
135:2020
125:2021
116:2022
107:2023
1023:Ode
1698::
1420:^
1355:,
457::
447::
438::
428::
418::
408::
399::
390::
381::
372::
363::
352::
343::
333::
323::
314::
305::
296::
287::
277::
268::
258::
249::
240::
231::
222::
213::
203::
192::
183::
174::
164::
155::
146::
137::
127::
118::
109::
93:.
54:.
1519:e
1512:t
1505:v
1310:e
1303:t
1296:v
668:/
451:*
432:*
422:*
412:*
337:*
327:*
281:*
262:*
207:*
168:*
131:*
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.