The Anthology of Black Mountain College Poetry

“Well thought-out, the selections in this anthology beautifully introduce readers to this special college and to poets deserving of high praise and appreciation.”—Library Journal, starred review

“The anthology works wonders by orienting the reader in this experimental, hands-on style of learning that was led in the early years by the Bauhaus-educated artists Josef and Anni Albers.”—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“The Anthology of Black Mountain College Poetry . . . firmly establishes an almost complete gathering of poets connected to Black Mountain College throughout its entire history . . . [and] fills gaps in the portrait of a venerable poetry institution whose legacy remains ongoing.”—Rain Taxi Review of Books

“The Anthology of Black Mountain College Poetry is exemplary in the breadth of its selection, an impressive showcase of unity in diversity and the quality of the introductory notes that, moreover, present the immense advantage not to reproduce the traditional distinction between the College’s stars and the others.”—Leonardo

“An expansive portrait, one larger than what had previously been presented around the poetries, poetics, people and publications around Black Mountain College. . . . [A]n impressive, expansive and important collection, one with layers of curiosity and research, enough that one could easily get lost within.”—Rob McLennan, award-winning author and critic

“This landmark compendium of verse composed by students, professors, and visiting faculty of Black Mountain College presents a dazzling survey of the college’s wide-ranging poetic output, as influential as it was experimental.”—Western North Carolina Magazine

“A collection like The Anthology of Black Mountain College Poetry is worthy of the comparison [to The Odyssey] that the compilers make for its place among the volumes that define and represent the most compelling literature of an era.”—Appalachian Journal

“This rich anthology is a testament to the spirit of the very special place and time, to the unique chemistry of intentional principles and accidental characters that, now more than at any time during its short institutional life, make Black Mountain College a beacon for writers, artists, and educators around the world.”—North Carolina Literary Review

“This anthology brings together an inspiring range of poetries, a monumental feat that showcases the ripple effect still felt today, over ninety years later. This poetry archive is of major historical significance. Kudos to the editors, their impressive teamwork, and the resources this tome brings to fans and scholars everywhere.”—Anne Waldman, author of over sixty books, cofounder of the Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics, and Distinguished Professor of Poetics at Naropa University.

“Finally, we have the Black Mountain poets—a diverse community of potters, painters, scientists, homemakers, scholars, and prose writers—whose poems pay tribute to the unique learning community that nurtured the creative spirit of its fortunate inhabitants. Hobby, Porco, and Bathanti have opened the field and shuffled the deck. I eagerly await the new thinking that inevitably will follow.” —Mary Emma Harris, author of The Arts at Black Mountain College