Poetry's Afterlife
Verse in the Digital Age
📘 About This Book
"The great pleasure of this book is the writing itself. Not only is it free of academic and ‘lit-crit' jargon, it is lively prose, often deliciously witty or humorous, and utterly contemporary. Poetry's Afterlife has terrific classroom potential, from elementary school teachers seeking to inspire creativity in their students, to graduate students in MFA programs, to working poets who struggle with the aesthetic dilemmas Stein elucidates, and to teachers of poetry on any level." --- Beckian Fritz Goldberg, Arizona State University "Kevin Stein is the most astute poet-critic of his generation, and this is a crucial book, confronting the most vexing issues which poetry faces in a new century." ---David Wojahn, Virginia Commonwealth University At a time when most commentators fixate on American poetry's supposed "death," Kevin Stein's Poetry's Afterlife instead proposes the vitality of its aesthetic hereafter. The essays of Poetry's Afterlife blend memoir, scholarship, and personal essay to survey the current poetry scene, trace how we arrived here, and suggest where poetry is headed in our increasingly digital culture. The result is a book both fetchingly insightful and accessible. Poetry's spirited afterlife has come despite, or perhaps because of, two decades of commentary diagnosing American poetry as moribund if not already deceased. With his 2003 appointment as Illinois Poet Laureate and his forays into public libraries and schools, Stein has discovered that poetry has not given up its literary ghost. For a fated art supposedly pushing up aesthetic daisies, poetry these days is up and about in the streets, schools, and universities, and online in new and compelling digital forms. It flourishes among the people in a lively if curious underground existence largely overlooked by national media. It's this second life, or better, Poetry's Afterlife, that his book examines and celebrates. Kevin Stein is Caterpillar Professor of English and Director of the Creative Writing Program at Bradley University and has served as Illinois Poet Laureate since 2003, having assumed the position formerly held by Gwendolyn Brooks and Carl Sandburg. He is the author of numerous books of poetry and criticism. digitalculturebooksis an imprint of the University of Michigan Press and the Scholarly Publishing Office of the University of Michigan Library dedicated to publishing innovative and accessible work exploring new media and their impact on society, culture, and scholarly communication. Visit the website at www.digitalculture.org.
📖 Summary
Kevin Stein's Poetry's Afterlife stands out as a vital and engaging contribution to contemporary literary criticism, addressing the complex landscape of poetry in the twenty-first century. Spanning two hundred and eighty pages, this 2010 publication tackles the aesthetic dilemmas, cultural shifts, and creative challenges that working poets and educators face in a rapidly changing world. Rather than retreating into dry, impenetrable academic jargon, Stein offers readers lively, witty, and thoroughly contemporary prose that makes complex critical concepts accessible and deeply entertaining. As a respected poet-critic of his generation, Stein investigates what happens to poetry after its creation, examining how verse survives, adapts, and resonates within modern society. He addresses the vexing issues confronting poetry head-on, providing fresh insights that move beyond the typical hand-wringing found in much modern literary commentary. The book serves as a bridge between theoretical critique and practical application, making it an invaluable resource for anyone invested in the creation, teaching, or study of contemporary verse. Stein's sharp observations illuminate the ongoing evolution of American poetry, exploring how writers navigate the pressures of a new century while maintaining artistic integrity. Readers will find themselves guided through nuanced discussions of craft and style, all delivered with a distinctively sharp and humorous voice. By stripping away the intimidation factor often associated with literary criticism, Stein invites a wider audience to engage with the serious intellectual and artistic questions shaping modern poetry. Whether he is discussing the mechanics of verse or the broader cultural footprint of literature, Stein remains an astute and reliable guide through the terrain of contemporary letters. Poetry's Afterlife ultimately champions the enduring power of verse, proving that critical writing about poetry can be just as vibrant, imaginative, and engaging as the poems themselves.
🎯 Key Lessons
⚖️ Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
Written in a lively, witty, and engaging prose style
Completely free of dense and alienating academic jargon
Offers valuable insights for both creators and teachers of poetry
Confronts the most pressing aesthetic issues facing modern verse
⚠️ Cons
May focus more heavily on contemporary American poetic concerns than global traditions
The conversational tone might occasionally feel too informal for traditional academic purists
❓ FAQ
Who is the author of Poetry's Afterlife? +
The book was written by Kevin Stein, a widely respected poet-critic of his generation.
When was Poetry's Afterlife published? +
The book was published in 2010 by University Press of Mississippi.
How long is the book? +
Poetry's Afterlife spans 280 pages.
Is the book written in academic jargon? +
No, the writing is notably free of heavy academic jargon, utilizing lively, witty, and contemporary prose instead.
Who might benefit from reading this book? +
It offers terrific potential for elementary school teachers, MFA graduate students, working poets, and educators at all levels.
