Publisher's Synopsis
Miller Williams, winner of the prestigious Poets' Prize for 1990, is considered one of the best poets of his generation. ""Miller Williams and the Poetry of the Particular"" examines his distinguished career, offering a wide variety of critical and personal essays from 13 scholars and writers, including Howard nemerov, Maxine Kumin, William Stafford, X.J. Kennedy, James Whitehead, John Federick Nims, and Fred Chappell. While the themes and formal concerns of Miller Williams' poetics are the focal point of the essays, important attitudes that have shaped American poetry over the past 30 years are also addressed. Those who have long known or are coming to know Williams' poetry will appreciate the discussions of such subjects as his ""skeptical science"", his mastery of the dramatic monologue, and his uses of commonplace images to root his poetry to the particulars of day-to-day life. Essays are also devoted to Williams' skill as a translator and to his early years as a poet learning and mastering his trade. An insightful interview with Williams and a descriptive chronology complete the collection and enhance our understanding of the thoughts and accomplishments of this literary artist.
