Feminist efforts have recovered the works of early women poets, and much of this rediscovered work now appears in anthologies. As a result, women poets writing today must not only struggle against a largely male tradition, but must also confront existing feminist expectations.

In mapping the achievements of contemporary American women poets, this reference helps liberate them from restrictive conventional views and illustrates the tremendous diversity of their works. Included are alphabetically arranged entries on nearly 70 American women poets who published significant works after 1945. Each entry is written by an expert contributor and presents a short biography, a discussion of major works and themes, a survey of the poet's critical reception, and primary and secondary bibliographies. Included poets come from a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds, geographical regions, and social classes. Some, such as Maya Angelou and Adrienne Rich, have received significant critical attention, while others are only beginning to attract interest and acclaim.

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