November 20th, 2009
Transcendental Studies: A Trilogy (U. of CA) by Keith Waldrop won the 2009 National Book Award in poetry. The book was selected by judges Mei-mei Berssenbrugge, A. Van Jordan, Cole Swensen and Kevin Young. The four finalists were Versed (Wesleyan) by Rae Armantrout, Or to Begin Again (Penguin) by Ann Lauterbach, Speak Low (FSG) by Carl Phillips and Open Interval (U. of Pittsburgh) by Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon. Fire to Fire by Mark Doty won the award last year, and Time and Materials by Robert Hass the year before.
Smartish Pace