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Good poetry can be measured in many ways, but simply, it possesses a unique voice that elicits emotion. This anthology has a deluge of good poetry; however, it should come as no surprise since forty-seven of its eighty-six contributors have either been nominated or awarded the most prestigious literary awards. What does come as a surprise is the depth of thought and emotion, the energy and fire that exemplify the majority of the works.
At this level, each poet has mastered the literary elements. For audiences looking for impeccable rhythm, or outside the box experimental pieces, look no further. This compilation has it all. Nevertheless, rather than elaborating on the magnificence of the poet’s rhyme scheme or use of figurative devices, the potency of the poetry resides in the content.
Many are thought-provoking gems that dive deep into the poet’s ocean of experience. Although a paper could be written dissecting and deciphering the intent of each line, poems like “SEE”, “I SAW AN OLD MAN WEEPING,” “THE WORLD SANDBOX,” and “UNREQUITED,” are eye-opening and, while simple, so profound that they will undoubtedly evoke a flood of emotion into the awakened reader. This list of must-read poems is by no means exhaustive; at least one hundred of the 134 fall into this category.
At its core, the speaker in many of these poems is delivering a clear message to mankind: learn to live and learn to love, both yourself and one another; life is a fleeting experience, experience it thoroughly. More explicitly, in “I SAW AN OLD MAN WEEPING,” the weeping man that you walk by, barely passing a second glance, will one day be you, looking up to see the next man gliding by, unconcerned by your plight.
Combining an electric poetic style with content that spans the realm of emotion, from joy to sadness, the Altadena Poetry Review: Anthology 2016 is a must-read collection of intellectual pearls.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review