The Essential C.D. Wright

Spanning four decades of writing-and including never-before-seen poems-The Essential C.D. Wright carries the reverence and wisecracking lyricism of poems that reshaped American poetry.

The Essential C.D. Wright gathers rare selections acrossthe famed poet's entire oeuvre-from the first book,Alla Breve Loving (1976), through to ShallCross, whichwas in production at the time of her unexpecteddeath in 2016. Tracing a writing life that spans morethan four decades, this essential collection illuminatesworks that remain empowered by an unrelentingindependence, a reverence for mentors, and wry,wisecracking lyricism. A formally restless, energetic,uncompromising, and utterly unique voice, C.D.Wright introduced a contemporary audience to thepromise and power of docupoetics, while pushingthe musical boundaries of vernacular speech and reshaping American poetry. With amoving introduction by Forrest Gander, this volume cements C.D. Wright's place inthe literary canon.