Duncan - I don't understand why you find the book either arrogant or exclusive. There is no exclusion going on here - I chose the poems I chose and there is quite a breadth there - including much that is formal - have you read it?
Personally, I like the challenge put forward by the 'best' tag. In the US, in recent years, it has been the 'best' as judged by guest eds as disparate as Billy Collins and Lyn Hejinian. It would be a blander concept if guest editors were expected to tick boxes and include a bit of everything, even if they didn't like it.
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