If anyone were making list of significant cultural achievements of the 20th century. Jazz, abstract art, the great modern poets like Rilke, Pessoa, Stevens, Cavafy. The invention of motion pictures, a wholly new art form. The development of myriad genres of popular music (Bossa nova!) and graphic art. Who would include in this list the conservative reaction against modernism? Mid-century "academic" poetry of the 1950s? Wilbur, Nemerov, Justice... It would be hard to make a case. Surrealism, jazz, the movies, comic strips, made an impact on the culture, defined the look and feel of the century.

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'Twas disheartening to go back to look at amazon's reader reviews of Creeley's 2002 BAP. Average 2 stars. I fear the Hejinian anthology will meet a similar reaction. One reader spoke of Creeley being a "surrealist"! Another purported to be from a college professor who had us'd other BAPS for instructional purposes. The 2004 volume is likely to be the most "avant-garde" poetry book that has the potential to reach a broader public--because of its packaging in the Best of Series. And why all this apology for calling itself the best? This time it's really true. Our poetry is actually better than their poetry.

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Sure enough, the first "one-star" review of the 2004 BAP has appeared on the amazon page.