The Very Edge is an intense collection of urgent and inspiring poetry that brings together writers in English, Spanish, and French. Co-edited by Polly Alice McCann and Araceli Esparza, it celebrates thirty-six contemporary poets including New York poet, Anne Whitehouse, and Kansas Poet Laureate, Huascar Medina. Let them take you on a journey across border towns and prairies to the top of the Swiss Alps; fly from the waters of the Amazon to Manhattan rooftops into an arid land where you'll sit at a table and hear stories woven from the frayed edges of hope. With art direction by designer, Kēvin Callahan, this book features several artists including the work of textile designer and photographer, Samantha Malay, and incredible meditative portraits by award-winning artist, Mano Sotelo.

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Araceli Esparza, a Latinx poeta, writer, and one of the founders of www.midwestmuheres.com says about this book. "We all believe in the power of belonging." These poems are not just about identity, as editor Polly Alice McCann explains: "You could say this collection of poetry is a table where we all come together. But it's harder than that. It's a surface--hard, like the flatbed of a truck--all of us in the back, going for a ride. Each poem is urgent, gripping.  I'd like to think it takes the reader on a journey past the edge, where we can all be together."

 

Katie Afshar * Omar Bárcena * Jill Bronfman * Michelle Brooks * Tara Carnes * Kevin Callahan * Don Cellini * Paul Dresman * Alan Dunnett * Kristin Gallagher * Araceli Esparza * Malcolm Glass * Jeffrey Hantover *

Eric Machan Howd * Donna Isaac * Vicci Jacobs * A. Kaiser * David Lohrey * Anthony Thomas Lombardi

Evamaria Lugo * Katharyn Howd Machan * Samantha Malay * Janet McMillan Rives

Huascar Medina * Cécile Oumhani * Eloísa Pérez-Lozano * Janet M. Powers * Bruce Pratt * Julie Sellers

Mary Silwance * Mano Sotelo * NOBODY the Poet * Joe Weintraub * Anne Whitehouse

Megan Wildhood * Guinotte Wise