Contemporary American Poetry: Not the End, But the Beginning

Poet William Stafford wrote, A poem is not the end, but the beginning, of an excursion. This collection, highlighting American poets born after the beginning of the twentieth century, helps young readers get started on their excursion into understanding poetry. The book includes brief biographies of eleven poets, ranging from Theodore Roethke to Allen Ginsberg, Sylvia Plath, and Billy Collins, along with several poems for each writer. It also introduces the techniques of analysis to deepen readers’ appreciation of poetry.