Dianne Blakely is a phenomenal poet, and just now she's publishing a series of articles on Swampland.com about lesser-known but wonderful Southern poets that is well worth a look. First up are Lisa Russ Spaar, Molly Bendall, and Brian Teare, complete with extensive interviews of each.
As she writes: "Charlottesville seems the right place to begin this National Poetry Month. As teachers there, Charles Wright and Rita Dove have received the most acclaimed national recognition, and I’ve written about both in the recent years [here and here], as well as a reminiscence of Eleanor Ross Taylor, whose husband Peter was a mainstay of the fiction department for many years."
Dianne wrote her wonderful piece about Taylor months before Taylor received the Ruth Lily Prize from the Poetry Foundation. (I wonder if her article had anything to do with it? Looks like Christian Wiman was already on the case!)
Dianne now turns her attention to a handful of vital younger talents, and the result is a real treasure trove.
