A Celebration of Western New York Poets

Experience the extraordinary diversity and excellence of the most talented and prominent poets of the legendary Western New York poetry scene!! In A Celebration of Western New York Poets, you will encounter the intricate perceptions of one of America's greatest poets, Irving Feldman, the metaphorical enchantments of Quarterly Review of Literature Poetry Prize winner, Ann Goldsmith, the gorgeous aestheticism and erudition of long time UB professor, Bill Sylvester, the almost mystical earthiness of Marjorie Norris, the brilliant, multifaceted imagery of Alexis De Veaux, Gail Fischer's unsparing representation of the corporate world as a savage ecosystem in "Mob of the 21st Century," the immaculate elegance and wry sparkle of Ansie Baird, the majestic sorrow and joy of expatriate Cuban poet, Olga Karman, the whimsical humor of Sally Fiedler's moving and perfectly crafted poems, traditional sonnet writer turned avant-garde poet David Tirrell's succinct, fractured lyricism, and the spellbinding poetic voice of Loren Keller, who, in folksy and understated tones, conveys his deep sophistication in the visual and poetic arts and his transcendent vision. You will also enjoy the exciting voices of a younger generation of Western New York Poets: the sparkling wholesomeness and Native American influenced spirituality of Jane Sadowsky, the vivid depictions and the capture of the heartbeat of India by one of its native poets, Amol Salunkhe, the beautiful echoings of Ireland in the captivating poems of Sinead Tyrone, Eric Gansworth's breathtaking portrayals of Native American life in WNY, the spontaneous jazz and hip hop rhythms of Alexis Machelor O' Donnell, the archetypal eloquence of Susan Marie, the satirical brilliance of the late Millie Niss, Janet McNally's contemporary take on fairy tales and biblical characters, Edric Mesmer's cubist deconstructions of everyday life, Nava Fader's poem length elaborations of lines from Rimbaud, Ciaran Carson, and Hart Crane, Geoffrey Gatza's "Wasteland" of the information age, "The Twelve-Hour Transformation of Clare," and Marc Pietrzykowski's uncompromising but soaring treatment of the 9-11 tragedy. These are just a few examples. All of the 94 poets in A Celebration of Western New York Poets are at the top of their craft. In each of them you will find an extraordinary sensibility brought forth in an amazing and original poetic voice. Each author's section features 4-7 pages of his or her best work, along with an attractive black and white picture of the author and a brief biographical statement, all in beautiful and individualized layouts which enhance the reader's experience of the authors and their poetry. The poems are selected, not only for their literary excellence, and their representation of the author's unique poetic voice, but also for their addressing of concerns common to all human beings. These original approaches to universal themes make the book ideal for teaching classes in poetry. The preface, by the editor, Patricia Tansey, is a colorful and informative sketch of the history of Western New York literary scene from the 1960's to the present, drawing from first sources such as the Niagara-Erie Writers (NEW) newsletters, which she had saved when she served as a board member of NEW in the 80's, and her extensive personal experience as a poet who has been part of the poetry scene for decades. She gives a brief introduction to each of the poets, discussing them in the context of the part of the scene that they emerged from, and gives enlightening insights into the uniqueness of their individual poetic voices. When you read this book, you will feel as though you know the poets and will become familiar with WNY poetry scene as though you had been a part of it yourself. You might even want to take a trip to Buffalo and share your work at the many open mike readings mentioned in the book, and you will be more tha