"The Heart of American Poetry" by Edward Hirsch

I began to read a recent and highly praised biography of Robert E. Lee, and I was startled by the opening paragraph of the introduction. It was a kind of apology for writing about a man who “committed treason.” My immediate thought was a question: could you say the same thing had the Battle of Gettysburg, for example, had gone the other way and ended in defeat for the Union army? My second thought was also a question: are you apologizing for writing your book, trying to justify it in the context of today’s culture wars? I closed the book and put it away. 

It’s perhaps a sign of the times we live in. 

 

I had a similar experience – but a different outcome – with The Heart of American Poetry by Edward Hirsch. It’s a combination personal history, memoir, and love letter to American poetry by one of the most distinguished poetry critics of our time. Few people know as much about poetry as Hirsch, himself a poet, essayist, and champion for poetry. He’s published 10 poetry collections and six books of prose, including How to Read a Poem: And Fall in Love with Poetry. He’s been awarded a Macarthur Fellowship, a national Endowment of the Arts Fellowship, and a host of poetry-related prizes. If there’s a poetry establishment in the United States, then Hirsch is at or near the pinnacle.

To continue reading, please see me post today at Tweetspeak Poetry.