Louisiana Poets: A Literary Guide

by Catharine Savage Brosman, Olivia McNeely Pass

Overview

Louisiana has long been recognized for its production of talented writers, and its poets in particular have shined. From the early poetry of the state to the work crafted in the present day, Louisiana has nurtured and exported a rich and diverse poetic tradition. In Louisiana Poets: A Literary Guide authors Catharine Savage Brosman and Olivia McNeely Pass assess the achievements of Louisiana poets from the past hundred years who, Brosman and Pass assert, deserve both public notice and careful critical examination.

Louisiana Poets presents the careers and works of writers whose verse is closely connected to the peoples, history, and landscapes of Louisiana or whose upbringing or artistic development occurred in the state. Brosman and Pass chose poets based on the scope, abundance, and excellence of their work; their critical reception; and the local and national standing of the writer and work. The book treats a wide range of forty poets--from national bestsellers to local celebrities--detailing their histories and output.

Intended to be of broad interest and easy to consult, Louisiana Poets showcases the corpus of Louisiana poetry alongside its current profile. Brosman and Pass have created a guide that provides a way for readers to discover, savor, and celebrate poets who have been inspired in and by the Pelican State.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781496822123
Publisher:	University Press of Mississippi
Publication date:	05/15/2019
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Catharine Savage Brosman is professor emerita of French at Tulane University. She is author of Louisiana Creole Literature: A Historical Study and Mississippi Poets: A Literary Guide, both published by University Press of Mississippi. She has also authored numerous books of French literary history and criticism; two volumes of nonfiction prose; nine collections of poetry; and a collection of short fiction, An Aesthetic Education and Other Stories. Olivia McNeely Pass is retired from Nicholls State University, where she was professor of American literature and composition. She has served as editor of the Louisiana English Journal and as associate director of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. Her work has appeared in Louisiana Review, English Journal, Journal of Medical Humanities, and elsewhere

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Acknowledgments xiii

Introduction 3

Ralph Adamo 16

Alvin Aubert 20

Jack B. Bedell 25

Darrell Bourque 29

Catharine Savage Brosman 35

Andrei Codrescu 43

Peter Cooley 46

John William Corrington 55

Albert Belisle Davis 61

Malaika Favorite 64

John Finlay 67

John Gery 71

William Hathaway 76

Ava Leavell Haymon 80

Jack Heflin 86

Rodger Kamenetz 89

Julie Kane 93

Bob Kaufman 98

Sybil Kein 102

Yusef Komunyakaa 105

Pinkie Gordon Lane 115

William Lavender 119

Everette Maddox 123

Leo Luke Marcello 127

John McClure 131

David Middleton 133

Wilmer Mills 140

Stella Ann Nesanovich 145

Branda Marie Osbey 149

Sue Owen 156

Alison Pelegrin 162

Jennifer Reeser 168

Mona Lisa Saloy 173

Martha Serpas 179

Dave Smith 185

John Warner Smith 190

Sheryl St. Germain 195

Donald E. Stanford 202

Robert Penn Warren 205

Gail White 213

Tennessee Williams 217

Appendix: Additional Poets 223

Selected Bibliography 227

Index 245