I think it's a very good anthology. There is a fair amount of free verse, as you'd expect given how much of it is around, but little of it is "flabby". I've written a review of it on my blog - http://robmack.blogspot.com/2011/09/...etry-2011.html. the book covers a wide range of styles from the very traditional to the highly experimental and no one could possibly like everything, but it is a fair reflection of what's good in British poetry at the moment.

There's no point in anyone asking why he/she isn't in it. I know many good poets who aren't in it. There are only so many pages possible and it has to cover the full range of styles. I'd recommend people buy a copy and read it before forming judgements.

Also, on the question of not having heard of many of the poets - what would you prefer? An anthology full of the usual boring suspects who often fill such books, or poetry which genuinely interested the anthologist, irrespective of whether it was written by a big name? I'd prefer the latter every time.

I had heard of many of those featured, aalthough I was pleased to see several often-overlooked writers being included.

Oh Nemo,

"Quit whining" is rather a cutting remark to make, unless it's obviously said in jest; this is a 'conversation' here on "General Talk" and if we were all in a room together it wouldn't be very nice to say that to someone's face ;)

Tim has put this thread here for information. He rightly says, "Having glanced through it I think it gives a fair impression of what's happening in the UK".
It's simply that some of us don't happen to like what's happening in the UK very much, that's all!

Maryann,
I do understand what you're getting at. No one is 'knocking' Tim or anyone else for writing free verse!! I'm more than willing to appreciate all kinds of poems. But it's a matter of fact that poems published in the UK are biased towards FV.

One of my favourite poems of all-time is 'Naming of Parts', which doesn't rhyme, but I just think it would be nice if "The best" in all magazines catered for both camps. Why not have separate categories then? It's all POETRY, after all.

Hi Winter,

You make some good points and I wouldn't argue with all of them, though I'm not sure who 'the usual boring suspects' are. How did the 'big names' get to be big? By writing excellent poems.

"The Best British Poetry 2011" is just too big a claim to make, IMO.

"Quit whining" is rather a cutting remark to make, unless it's obviously said in jest; this is a 'conversation' here on "General Talk" and if we were all in a room together it wouldn't be very nice to say that to someone's face.

I would not hesitate to say it to anyone's face. And have on numerous occasions. Boorish American and all that.

Nemo

Well, two good thing to have come out of all this are Andrew Frisardi's two links. Most entertaining and illuminating. Thanks.

Nemo

Did you also say "Quit whining" when people were discussing the ratio of women to men in poetry mags?

Duncan

I believe I said nothing at all in that discussion.
Which is what I should have said in this one.

Were this face-to-face mode you would now see me get up and leave the room.

Nemo

Well, we can protest all we want, Duncan, but if people don't like formal verse,... they don't like it. They will publish/read/buy free verse. But formal verse clearly has a solid foothold in the open market, and that's more than we can demand. The most we can do is to do our thing. The bastards will take it or leave it in the end.

Live happy!

Rick

True, Rick, true.
But how can people not like formal verse at all? Some of it, yes, but although I write in rhyme I would never make such a sweeping statement as "I don't like free verse."

"Live happy!" is good advice - I always do. (It beats being petulant :rolleyes:)